


flippin' your fins you don't get too far

by jennycaakes



Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Royalty, Kings & Queens, Little Mermaid Elements, M/M, Seaside
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-07
Updated: 2017-04-07
Packaged: 2018-10-15 22:10:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 25,957
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10558508
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jennycaakes/pseuds/jennycaakes
Summary: Nathan Miller was raised a prince, a Golden Child, sequestered away in the castle of Arkadia until he's old enough to take his father's place. But one day, off of the castle grounds, he goes boating with Octavia and Bellamy and finds something lurking in the water. Only--the mer-people have been banished to a far-off sea, and there's absolutely no way that's what Miller saw. Right?also known as: Miller's a prince, Monty's a merman, and magic is real.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [MelikaElena](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MelikaElena/gifts).



> SO I started writing this literally like, a year ago for Mel. She wanted something where Miller was a fisher and caught Monty in a net but I didn't realize that was her request until after I started the whole Miller Is A Prince thing, but Mel this is still for you! Sorry it's so long, I just have lots of words. Also, sorry that like, hierarchies and treaties and stuff are confusing? It's fic, ignore it if it doesn't make sense lmao. Enjoy!!

It was a warm summer day when Miller finally got Bellamy to sneak him out of the castle again.

Bellamy was his favorite guard by far. He was a great guard, always going above and beyond the call to make sure he was performing as best he could, always taking more shifts because he knew it was important to get his name out there. But above most things, he was one of Miller’s best friends. In fact Bellamy was probably Miller’s _only_  friend. But the best friend part mattered more. And so instead of, well, guarding him and keeping him locked inside the castle and confined to the castle grounds as most guards would, Bellamy snuck him out. He knew a little something about needing to get away from home, and Miller was grateful.

So Bellamy snuck him out, just so Miller could walk around the city and forget about his duties every once in awhile.

He hadn’t snuck Miller out of the castle since before the winter season hit, cold and unforgiving. Today was the first day Miller was leaving the castle grounds in nearly six months. He was bursting with excitement, the knapsack at his side full of jewels that no one in the castle would miss, his eyes bright and wide.

“I can’t believe I’m still doing this,” Bellamy murmured as they neared the end of the secret tunnel they took to leave the castle. “One of these days I’m going to get screwed.”

“You’re well respected,” Miller reminded him. They took a few steps and found the old stone stairs that led them into the sunlight, into the square of Arkadia. “You’re not going to get screwed.”

They were quiet as they transitioned from the castle grounds to the other side of the gates, nothing but the sound of their breathing and their footsteps. But finally Miller could _breathe_ , the heavy weight of being locked up day after day easing from his shoulders at once. Miller readjusted the bag on his side and the two of them paused, turning back to look at the life Miller was leaving behind for a couple of hours.

“It’s just…” Bellamy trailed off with a sigh, also looking toward the castle’s gates as Miller readjusted the cap on his head meant to hide his identity a bit more. “You’re a prince, you know. A Golden Child.”

“One of many,” Miller muttered. There were three of them, the Golden Children. Wells was more likely to take the throne, or even Clarke. All of their parents were powerful, they were _advisors_ to the throne after all, and all of the kids were on succession lists. None of them should _have_ to take the throne, but that was a discussion for another day. Miller wasn’t as important as either of the other Golden Children, despite the fact that his father was powerful. “What’s your point?”

“That I can’t keep sneaking you out of the gates,” Bellamy said. Miller made a face at him. “I don’t disagree with what you _do_ ,” Bellamy said lowly as they continued walking. Stealing from the rich to give to the poor. From those with excess who didn’t need it to those who did. “But if I get caught, someone’ll have my head.”

“Then we won’t get caught,” Miller said.

* * *

Bellamy lived on the shoreline with his sister Octavia.

They had different fathers, both who had abandoned their mother, and their mother had passed. So it was Bellamy who was the head of the family. They made most of their living by fishing and working in the marketplace. It was a simple life. A few years back, however, Bellamy had been accepted into the guard program. His mother had some old, distant connections, and they’d helped secure him a place working in the castle four out of seven days in the week.

When asked if Bellamy preferred the castle or the shore, he’d never give an answer. Because the castle meant prestige and growth, but the shore was where his sister was. Octavia wasn’t allowed in the castle or even on the castle grounds. Thankfully she was old enough to not get into too much trouble on her own these days, but it had been difficult at first.

Miller liked Octavia. She was feisty and often able to pull smiles from Bellamy after his long, tiresome days. Octavia reminded Bellamy that his work in the castle, standing on his feet for hours, carrying a sword, that it wasn’t all for naught.

They were on the water now. Miller liked it best out on the water, as far away from the castle as he could get.

He was a Golden Child but not by choice. He was born into this family, into this lifestyle, into the castle, and he hated it. Bellamy knew this. Octavia knew this. Anyone who spared Miller more than a glance could figure it out. He wanted to be out in the world, not cooped up in a castle. So Bellamy took him out to the sea so Miller could feel free for just a bit.

Octavia dipped her hand into the water to test the temperature and then lifted it, splashing Bellamy magnificently. He let out a loud laugh, shrinking backwards enough that the small boat they’d all climbed onto shifted, and Miller sat back with a smile of his own.

This was the life that he wanted.

One with friends, and laughter, and fun. Not training the knights or the guard, not working with the armies. Not the life his father wanted to give him. Just this, floating in the sea with some of the people he cared most about. Octavia did it again, dipping her hand into the water another time. Bellamy was prepared though and rocked backwards. Only there was too much force there this time and Miller was perched on the edge of the boat, so tumbling over the side he went.

The water wasn’t cold, just shocking, and thankfully from living in the castle with the Golden Children who had enormous bathtubs, he knew how to swim. He managed to suck in a large breath before sliding into the blue water. He shouldn’t have done it, but knowing Bellamy was probably freaking out ( _“You’re a prince and if anything happens to you it’s on me!”)_ Miller stayed under just a moment longer.

The water of the Vera Sea was pure and clear. He opened his eyes and could see the shadow of the boat just a foot or so above him. Miller turned, prepared to swim the other direction, only to be met with another face, another boy, swimming just feet away from him.

Miller gasped, letting out all the air he’d saved in his lungs. The boy had a tail.

Miller broke the surface, desperate for air. Before he was even aware that he was breathing again there were hands and a tangle of limbs as Octavia and Bellamy pulled him back onto their boat. Bellamy was ranting about something, _never bringing you out here again, taking you straight back right now_ , but Miller wasn’t listening.

“Are there merpeople in the Vera Sea?” he choked out.

Bellamy stopped, and Octavia shook her head. “No,” she answered. “Unity Sea only, those were the terms.”

“We fish in Vera,” Bellamy said. “They know not to come here.” Bellamy’s eyes flickered toward the water. “Did you see one?” Miller forced his head into a nod and Bellamy bent over the edge of the boat. “I haven’t…” he started, trailing off with a new mysticism in his eyes. “I mean _no one’s_ seen a merperson since the treaty.”

“Are you sure?” Octavia asked, looking over the side of the boat as well.

“I’m sure,” Miller confirmed.

* * *

Bellamy wouldn’t take him out of the castle. “You nearly drown last time,” he murmured, “and I’m not letting you die on my watch.” So in simple terms, Miller was losing his mind.

The other Golden Children were with one another, Wells and Clarke always together doing _something_. Playing chess or staring out across the sea or painting portraits of one another like the perfect fucking children that they were. (Wells and Clarke were destined to shine. Miller… not so much. He was just too grumpy to win the popular vote.)

“You’re always welcome to join us,” Clarke told him one afternoon as he grumbled on the balcony.

“I’d rather drown myself,” Miller muttered back.

So he busied himself in the library, reading up on the history of the merpeople that they’d acquired and studying everything he could. The text said that they spoke English so Miller wasn’t too worried about communicating with them. Mostly he was concerned he’d offend them. He had an attitude and he didn’t know their customs. He didn’t want to piss the wrong person off.

It’s just…

There was a war, once. Not too long ago. Between the merpeople and those of the land. And a lot of people died. And Miller would really, very much, like to avoid another war. He was too young to die. Despite his title in defense, he really didn’t want to fight. And the merpeople, they were entrancing. They had a history and a culture and they existed on their own terms. They deserved to live, too. And if someone reeled in a merperson fishing one day, that’d be the end of it. A war would start up immediately, even if the merpeople were in the wrong sea.

Wells found him later that week, nose deep in a different book. “Merpeople?” he asked, glancing over Miller’s shoulder. “What are you reading?”

“Mind your own business.” Wells sunk into the seat across from Miller, clearly not minding his own business, and Miller sighed. He looked up at the boy across from him, then back down at the book. “I saw one,” he said.

“A merperson?” Wells asked. “We don’t even have access to the waterways here.”

“In Vera Sea,” Miller elaborated.

“In Vera…” Wells started, but stopped, frowning. “How’d you get to Vera Sea?”

“I told you to mind your own business,” Miller said.

“You brought it up, not me.”

Miller looked up again. “I don’t want another war,” he said to Wells.

Wells seemed to agree, but his face was still puckered and there was a touch of confusion in his eyes. “You left the castle’s land?” he asked. Miller looked back to the book. “What do you get up to when we’re not around, Miller?”

He hesitated. But Clarke and Wells were smart. They could get him out of the castle just as easily as Bellamy had.

“Come with me,” Miller finally said, “and I’ll show you.”

* * *

“I don’t know,” Wells said for the hundredth time. They were already outside of the castle grounds, taking one of the secret tunnels that Miller and Bellamy had discovered ages ago that led under the wall and out into the city. “This is risky. Isn’t it?” He looked to Clarke who seemed excited, a certain brightness in her eyes that Miller hadn’t seen in a long time. They were three kids constantly confined to the castle grounds, solely to protect their lineage. They didn’t get to explore very often. “What if someone comes looking for us?”

“That’s why I bribed Bryan to cover for us,” Clarke said. “I think it’s because he’s got a thing for Miller that he agreed, though.”

“Been there, done that,” Miller answered.

Wells’ eyebrows shot to his forehead. “What? You did? When?”

Miller shrugged, “Irrelevant.” Bryan was cute but he was boring. Miller just liked the adventure of it, he thought. That Bryan was a guard and Miller was a Golden Child who wasn’t allowed to choose who he loved or who he could be with. That it wasn’t allowed. “Thanks for handling it,” he said to Clarke.

“Whatever. I just want to see the merpeople.” She hurried forward so her strides matched up with Miller’s. “Did you really see one in Vera Sea?” she asked, and Miller tipped his head forward. “We should probably tell someone,” Clarke said. “If they’re broaching the treaty, that’s one thing. If one of them ends up dead because of it, another. It could get messy fast.”

“That’s why _we_ have to talk to them,” Miller said. He ran over it in his head dozens of times. If Miller told his father without any knowledge, things could get out hand. The current leaders of their country were smart but this information in the wrong hands, the fact that the merpeople were in territory that didn’t belong to them, could cause damage. “We figure out what the deal is, go from there. I doubt they’ve forgotten what happened in the last war. We just have to see what’s wrong.”

Wells still didn’t seem all that at ease. “What if they kill us?”

Miller laughed. He couldn’t help himself. “I’m a trained fighter,” he said. “We all are. And they can’t leave the sea. I think we’ll be okay for now.”

Wells wrinkled his nose. “They can control the weather,” he reminded Miller. “ _Elements_.” That’s how they took out so many people in the last war, with storms, with rock and earth, with fire. “We’ll have to be more careful than that.”

* * *

They ran into Octavia. Because of course they did.

They’d just made it to the shore when the girl strode across the beach, leaving the dock so she could meet them, anger in her eyes. She only knew Miller, as Bellamy was a guard and Octavia lived and worked outside of the walls, but she wasn’t an idiot. Everyone knew what the Golden Children looked like, and the golden chains they wore around their necks didn’t help much.

“Bellamy’s going to have a _conniption_ ,” Octavia hissed as she approached them. “All three of you outside the walls. _All three of you_!”

“I figured you’d think it was fun,” Miller said, arching an eyebrow.

“Oh, sure,” Octavia responded, crossing her arms over her chest. “It’s fun when you don’t have to listen to Bellamy rant for three hours about the danger you could’ve gotten in.”

“Miller said he saw a merperson,” Clarke said, skipping all pretense of a greeting. “We want to, too.”

Octavia frowned at Miller. “He _thinks_ he saw a merperson,” she said.

“Come on, Octavia,” Miller murmured, echoing her frown. “I’m a thief, not a liar.”

“You’re a thief?” Wells asked. “What in the hell? What are you _stealing_?”

 _“Hey!”_ A loud voice, an _angry_ voice, shouted from the walkways. While everyone turned to face it Miller turned the opposite direction, knowing immediately who was speaking. If Miller wanted to get out to sea he’d have to get to a boat before Bellamy reached them on the shore. Bellamy must’ve followed them. Miller pushed out his ankle, tripping Octavia who was second-most-likely to prevent Miller on this mission and then he sprinted. The sand made it difficult but he was so close, so close. “ _Miller!”_ Bellamy shouted.

He hurried across the dock and dove into Bellamy and Octavia’s family boat. Miller fumbled for the cord to start the engine, not daring to look over his shoulder at how close they were.

There was more shouting but then the engine revved to life and Miller grinned. Finally he risked a glance behind him to find Clarke and Bellamy sprinting in his direction but he’d been out on this boat a hundred times.

He was yards into the sea by the time they even made it to the dock.

* * *

It didn’t take Miller long to find the place he’d been in when he’d fallen over the side. It was about a twenty-minute boat ride west on Vera Sea to a secluded area where there weren’t any other boaters. The water was clearer there, the trees greener as though the spot itself was as magical as the merpeople. The water was quiet after he killed the engine and the entire area felt still. All he had to do was wait.

But waiting was annoying, because he wanted something to _happen_.

He wanted to see that boy again, the one he’d barely glimpsed. He wanted to see a merperson. To be the first land-walker to speak with a merperson in 97 years. If one was dedicated they could linger on the edges of the territory given to the merpeople after the war that circled Unity Sea, but it was frowned upon. So he was sure someone must’ve seen one recently, just not up close. Not like he was hoping to.

He took a deep breath and settled in, knowing that he had to be just as quiet as the sea if he wanted to sense any changes.

He wasn’t sure how long he was sitting in the boat when he heard a voice that said, “Come here often?” Miller spun around so quickly that the boat nearly tipped over. Opposite of where he’d been watching was a boy looking at him with curious eyes. His hair was thick and dark and wet, brushed across his forehead so it wasn’t in his eyes. He smiled, and Miller felt his chest grow warm. “Hi,” the boy said. “You’re the one who nearly drowned the other day.”

“No,” Miller forced out. “No, I—you startled me.”

“You fell in the water fully clothed,” the boy pointed out. His voice was warm and crisp. Warm, warm. There was something warm about him. “An accident, I assume?” he asked, and Miller nodded. He always knew merpeople were real, that they existed, but he’d never _seen_ one. Not like this. Not up close. When he saw this boy under the water the other day he barely had time to process what he was seeing. “Oh,” the boy said suddenly, tipping his head backwards. “You’re a Golden Child.”

Miller startled. “What?” He didn’t know merpeople had knowledge about the Golden Children, the kings and queens.

“Your necklace,” the boy said, motioning to the chain around Miller’s neck. The golden links that marked him above the rest. “From the castle.”

Miller had to stop himself from gaping. This boy was smart. “You’re a merperson,” he countered.

The boy smirked, swimming backwards just a little bit as though he was showing off his tail. He had to have been. It was rich greens and silvers, shiny, covered in sparkling scales that glistened in the light of the sun. It was magnificent, and Miller couldn’t stop staring. “Not an _important_ merperson,” he said. “But _you’re_ a _very_ important land-walker. My people would do _anything_ for your head.”

Miller frowned, rocking backwards in the boat, finally remembering his goal. To talk about the treaty. To see what was going on.

“That’s not a great way to start a conversation,” Miller said.

“No, I guess we should start with names.” The boy swam back up to the edge of Miller’s boat, extending his hand in greeting. “I’m Monty,” he said. Miller reached forward and grabbed his hand. It was cold, wet from the water, but their palms fit together nicely. “Nice to meet you.”

“What are you doing in Vera Sea, Monty?” Miller asked as he pulled his hand away. He crossed his legs under him and looked out into the water, watching as the boy swam. His heart was pounding. It had been 97 _years_ since land-walkers and merpeople conversed casually, 97 years since the war. Was Miller the first to make contact? “It’s against the treaty, you know.”

“So you get my name,” Monty said, “but I don’t get yours?”

“Miller.”

“ _Miller_?” Monty echoed. “That’s a legacy line, not a name.”

“Legacy line, last name, same thing,” he muttered. Monty swam back up to the boat, propping his elbows up on the ledge lightly enough that the boat didn’t shift too much. “Nathan,” he said. “My name’s Nathan.”

“Nathan,” Monty said, testing it in his mouth. “Can I call you Nate? It sounds nicer.” Miller frowned. He was avoiding the question and he knew it. Miller made a face at him now that some of the shock was wearing off. “You don’t seem so repulsed,” Monty said.

Miller’s frown deepend. “Repulsed by what?”

“Merpeople,” Monty said. “Seeing as you sought me out.” Miller narrowed his eyes. “That’s what they say,” Monty told him, gesturing widely. “That humans banished us because we’re repulsive. Demonic.” Monty tipped his head to the side, smiling mischievously. “Wicked.”

“Maybe that’s what they said 97 years ago,” Miller muttered, “but that’s hardly a concern of mine.”

“We have magic. Seems pretty demonic to me.”

“You are very good at avoiding the original topic I brought up,” Miller said. Some people were still terrified of magic, but it was never something that bothered Miller. It was as natural as science. “I’m not afraid of merpeople. Or repulsed by them. I’m just concerned as to why you’re broaching a treaty.”

“There’re things outside of Unity Sea that I need,” Monty finally said. “Unity Sea, actually, isn’t that large. And quite honestly, it’s ridiculous that we were forced to stay there in the treaty.” He shrugged a little. “So I leave.”

“You just… leave.”

Monty shrugged again. “It’s not like there’s a wall. And even if there was, it wouldn’t keep us in.”

“Someone could catch you,” Miller murmured.

“You came all the way out to Vera Sea to warn me that I could get caught?” Monty asked, his mouth quirking into a smile. “Fascinating.”

“Listen,” Miller started, and Monty swam back again to display his tail another time. “Stop that.”

“Swimming?”

“The tail, thing.”

“Is it distracting?” Monty asked, the smile on his face growing.

“ _Yes_ ,” Miller stressed. “People will be looking for me,” he said, “so I don’t have a lot of time.” Monty’s eyes darted toward the way Miller had come from, the smile slipping from his face. “If there’s something wrong with Unity Sea you have to _tell_ me—I can work with people to fix it. Just—you can’t just go into space that isn’t yours.”

“Space that isn’t ours?” Monty asked, his voice suddenly sharp. “Since when has the sea ever truly belonged to someone other than seapeople?” Monty shook his head. “There _is_ something wrong with Unity Sea. It’s too _small_.” He swam back up to the edge of the boat and Miller shrunk backwards. “Our leaders have been reaching out consistently every year to yours to try and work out a new treaty. No one responds.”

“I don’t want another _war_ ,” Miller grit out.

“Who would?” Monty asked. “But sometimes to stay alive you’ve got to take risks.” Monty shrugged a shoulder, that sure smile of his back on his face. “If a boy like you catches me _every_ time I venture out of Unity,” Monty said, “then maybe it’ll be worth it.”

That warmth that Miller felt in his chest when he first saw Monty came back, tugging at his heart a little too forcefully. “I don’t know you,” Miller started, “but—”

“Would you like to?” Monty asked. Miller blinked hard. “Know me.” His mouth felt dry. “You’re a Golden Child,” Monty said again, “maybe you can make a difference for us.” Monty leaned in a little more, causing the boat to tip slightly in his direction. “And if you know me, you’ll love me. Because I’m great. And then you’ll _want_ to make a difference.”

Miller held this boy’s gaze. His stare was as magical as he was, intense and dark and all-encompassing. “How?” he asked.

Monty smiled another time. Miller knew that he was lost.

* * *

When Miller returned back to the shore, Bellamy was red in the face. He dragged Miller to a carriage, trapped him between Clarke and Wells, and hauled them all back to the castle. Bellamy didn’t ask if Miller found anything, and in response Miller didn’t tell him what he’d found. _Who_ he’d found.

“I swear to God,” Bellamy grumbled when they reached the gates. “If you get yourself into trouble, I don’t know how to help you.”

“You don’t have to worry about me,” Miller said.

Bellamy let out a deep breath, the worry lines on his face fading away slightly. “Well I do,” Bellamy said. “And not because you’re a prince, but because you’re my friend. Okay?”

Miller dipped his head into a nod. Bellamy left.

They barely made it back to the castle grounds before Clarke exploded. “I know that you found something,” she said as they walked, her voice high and sharp and determined. “If you hadn’t found anything you would’ve said so, but I know that look in your eyes Miller, and I want to know what you found!”

“I spoke with one,” he answered.

Both Wells and Clarke stopped. “Like,” Wells wondered, “ _spoke_ spoke?”

“What other kind of spoke is there?”

“The one you drive into the ground,” Clarke answered. Miller rolled his eyes. “What’d you talk about? Was it a boy or a girl? What did they—”

“Griffin,” Miller cut her off. “One question at a time.” This time Clarke rolled her eyes. “We’ve got some work to do.”

* * *

It was another week before Miller made it out of the castle again, and this time he was only with Clarke. Wells was reluctant about leaving the castle again (angry-Bellamy made him a little nervous) and his father wanted Wells to shadow him in the throne room anyway, so Miller and Clarke packed their bags and slipped through a secret tunnel with ease.

“Bellamy’s bound to find out again,” Miller told her as they walked to the destination Monty had told him about. They were headed in the opposite direction of Vera Sea, of Unity Sea, and going toward a place known as the _Stillatur Nave_. It had taken Miller and Clarke days to even find it on a map. According to legends it had been where an old boating ship had crashed, casting the first of the land-walkers in the area Arkadia was founded. It was also, they learned through research, where merpeople and land-walkers first met. “And when he finds out,” Miller carried on, “he’s going to be pissed.”

Clarke shrugged. “Bellamy doesn’t scare me.”

“No?”

“Nope.”

“Interesting,” Miller mused. The pack he brought, slung over his shoulder, wasn’t full of stolen jewels today as it normally was. He didn’t have time to get to the market anyway. Today it was filled with papers, old books, and quills so they could take notes. They were meeting Monty again today. “Then again, you’re not scared of much.”

“Anything,” Clarke corrected with a smile. “I’m not scared of _anything_.”

“Princess Griffin,” Miller said as they edged their way through the trees. “ _Sine metu_.” Scared of nothing, without fear.

She rolled her eyes. “Prince Miller,” she countered, “ _abscondita venereum_.”

“Take that back.”

“Prove me wrong,” she hummed. They emerged on a clearing more beautiful than either of them were prepared for. The waters were a deep, swirling blue, and the trees were alive with magic. It was one thing to know that magic existed, to see the magicians in the throne rooms, to hear that the merpeople could harness it. It was another to feel it dancing over your own skin. Miller shivered, overwhelmed with the beauty of the area, and Clarke sighed. “Wow.”

“I think we found the right place,” he said. Miller swung his pack off of his shoulder. “You good to take notes?” Miller asked. “I’ve got shitty handwriting.”

“Sure, sure.” She lowered herself to the ground so she could unwind the ribbon that held her shoes on. “What did you say his name was? Monty?”

“Monty,” Miller confirmed. It sounded magical in his mouth. But that might’ve been the magic.

“I don’t know if I believe you yet,” Clarke admitted as she pulled her shoes from her feet and started to the water. “But I can’t lie and say I’m not hoping you’re telling the truth.”

Miller opened his mouth to say something else but suddenly there was a rustling in the trees that caught both of their attention. They’d been careful to avoid the main square, to avoid seeing eyes, to tuck their golden chains under their shirts in case someone had spotted them. Miller’s hand reached out for the sword by his side as Bellamy appeared in his line of vision.

“ _Miller_ ,” Bellamy snapped, pushing through the tree line to reach the shore. Miller knew his friend would find them, he just didn’t know it would only take a few minutes. He must’ve been trailing them for a while. “What the _hell_ are you—” he stopped when he saw Clarke, the anger on his face dissipating at once. “Princess,” he forced out, his voice much softer. He looked at her a moment longer, that gentleness in his eyes, before transferring his gaze back to Miller. “What are you two doing?” he asked tightly.

“Learning,” Clarke answered. Bellamy very visibly tried to not roll his eyes. “My mother encourages exploration of knowledge,” she said, tugging on the golden chain around her neck that declared her a Golden Child as though she was reminding Bellamy who she was without realizing. “That’s what we’re doing.”

“You’re getting yourselves into trouble, actually,” Bellamy murmured. He focused his attention to Miller. “I can’t believe you’re bringing other people into this,” he nearly growled.

“Wells would be here too if he wasn’t shadowing his father in the throne room,” Clarke said.

Bellamy’s jaw clenched. “There’s nothing _out_ here,” Bellamy said. “I’m on these waters every day and I haven’t seen anything. Merpeople are in Unity Sea, not Vera. Whatever you _think_ you saw—”

“I know what I saw,” Miller snapped, cutting him off. He knew who he _spoke with_. One of them, a merperson, a boy with a bright smile and a teasing voice. “Listen,” Miller said, stepping toward Bellamy. “If there’s nothing here in the next half hour then you can take us back to the castle. Okay? Say you caught us sneaking out.” Bellamy sighed loudly, shaking his head. “You’re a guard,” Miller reminded him, “not our father.”

“I would hope not,” Bellamy murmured, his eyes flickering to Clarke who had moved to the edge of the shore, dipping her toes in the water. Bellamy leaned in. “You’re chasing a fantasy,” he told him.

“I could say the same for you,” Miller shot back. He knew how Bellamy looked at Clarke. The way he wanted her. But like Miller just said, Bellamy was a guard. A low-ranking knight. In terms of royalty, he was a nobody. And Clarke was a Golden Child, on line for the throne. It was hopeless. Maybe more hopeless than Miller’s desire to talk to that merboy again. “I spoke with one, Bellamy,” Miller said lowly. “He was real. He told me to come _here_.”

If Bellamy was shocked, if Bellamy _believed him_ , it didn’t show. His face remained stoic. “Half an hour,” he murmured. “And then we’re gone.”

It didn’t take half an hour. It took fourteen minutes.

The same merboy that Miller met the other day, Monty, broke the surface so silently that if Miller hadn’t been watching the water he wouldn’t have even noticed. Clarke and Bellamy had started talking, low voices, probably deciding between if Miller was an idiot or not, so they weren’t ready when the water rippled. A gasp escaped Clarke and Bellamy stood a little taller, reaching for the weapon by his side.

“Hey,” Monty called. He climbed onto a nearby rock, and Clarke’s breath became more shallow as Monty’s tail surfaced with him. “I brought some friends. Is that okay?”

“The more the merrier,” Miller murmured, shooting a look in Bellamy’s direction. “Do I have to say it?” he asked.

“You’re going to anyway,” Bellamy exhaled.

“ _Told you so_.”

Two more merpeople surfaced, a boy and a girl, both of them with smiles just as bright as Monty’s. “Oh my God,” Clarke breathed. “They’re beautiful.” And they were. A pale boy with messy dark hair, an olive skinned girl with flowing brown hair. They joined Monty on the rocks. The boy’s tail was soft reds and oranges, like a sunset had been stolen and given to him. The girl’s tail was purple and blue, sparkling like a night sky full of stars.

“Jeez, Monty,” the girl said, flipping her hair over her shoulder. “You weren’t kidding when you said you met a land-walker.”

“This is Raven,” Monty said, motioning to the girl. And then to the boy, “Jasper.”

“Dude,” Jasper said, shaking his head to fix his hair. “They’ve got _legs_.”

“Bellamy,” Miller said, gesturing to his friend. “And Clarke.”

“Another Golden Child,” Monty hummed, having spotted the necklace Clarke was wearing. She reached up then, tugging on it before glancing in Miller’s direction. “Don’t worry,” Monty said with a little laugh. “We don’t care about titles.”

“Speak for yourself,” Raven said, still ringing out her hair. “Princess, eh?”

“Unity Sea,” Bellamy rasped, still slightly entranced by the sight of them. They were a sight to behold. It was like they were sucking in the sun, all the attention directed to them. “We’re out past _Vera_ ,” Bellamy said, shaking his head. “How did you—you shouldn’t _be_ here.”

“So land-walkers have free-roam of the land,” Raven said, stretching backwards on her palms, “but sea-dwellers should be confined to one spot? No thanks.”

“It’s easy enough to get past the barriers,” Jasper added, barriers Miller knew to be weak.

“Besides,” Monty chimed in, “we’re _smart_.”

“Must’ve been quite a swim,” Clarke said, starting out into the water slowly. “Hours, maybe.”

“Dolphin taxi,” Raven said, waving her hand dismissively.

“Dolphin taxi…” Bellamy repeated quietly. He glanced toward Miller, then back at the merpeople. “Okay,” Bellamy said, returning his gaze to Miller. “Just a couple of hours. Then it’s back to the castle.”

* * *

Monty had brought the other merpeople along to have more proof for Miller that Unity Sea wasn’t large enough for them.

“I live in the center,” Raven told them as she stretched out in the sun. The tips of her tail were dipped into the water as she spoke. Clarke took notes. “It’s rough in the center. Overcrowded. Kids are starving, people are sick. The good real estate, the rich guys, they’ve got home on the edge so they can surface. Lounge on the rocks, by the trees.” Raven brushed her fingers through her hair to untangle it. “The only reason I’m not dead is because I’ve got a job working in the city on the edge, closer to a merging sea--Vera.”

“Raven’s the best mechanic we’ve got,” Jasper said with a grin.

“You’re a mechanic?” Bellamy asked. “You have—mechanics?”

“Mechanic,” Raven said, pointing to herself. “Chemist,” she said, motioning to Jasper. “Engineer,” Raven continued, gesturing at Monty. She made a grand sweeping gesture at all three of the merpeople that were soaking up the sunlight. “Scientists,” she said.

“Because we’re _smart_ ,” Monty said again. His eyes flickered in Miller’s direction and he smiled.

“But tech doesn’t—” Clarke started and stopped, looking up from her notes. “How does tech work under the water?”

“Same way it works above the water,” Jasper said. “Duh.”

“We don’t have a lot of tech,” Miller tried to explain. Arkadia was hesitant to use anything technological, many officials worried that it wasn’t science but rather magic. Many failed to realize science and magic worked hand in hand. While people enjoyed the magicians who put on shows in the castle and needed their healing magic when people fell sick, most people thought it to be dangerous. “But back to Unity—”

“Picture this,” Monty said, sitting up. “You have this entire country here,” he said, gesturing toward the land. “All of it. Any space you could ever imagine walking, you’re allowed to go there.” His gaze was focused on Miller and Miller didn’t dare look away. “And then one day there’s a war. And they say okay, you’re allowed to walk anywhere you want. As long as it’s inside the castle grounds. So everyone has to move into the castle, no exceptions. And if you’re not inside the gates, they kill you.”

“The castle grounds aren’t _that_ large,” Bellamy said.

“That’s the point he’s trying to make,” Clarke said softly. “We shoved them in a cage and told them to stay there.”

“Half the resources we need,” Raven chimed in, “come from other seas.”

“We’re overcrowded, starving, hell,” Jasper said, “I’ve got distant family by the Agro Shore—I just haven’t met them because of blocked waterways.”

“This is obviously a problem,” Bellamy said. “You shouldn’t be confined. But we…” he trailed off, looking to Miller. “What’s your plan? Just bring it up with your dad? He’ll have too many questions.”

“All our parents will,” Clarke murmured. “And if Pike overhears—”

“Fuck Pike,” Miller snapped.

“Who’s Pike?” Monty asked.

“He’s the Golden Advisor,” Clarke said. He’d been with the Golden Children for ages, attempting to teach them and widen their views of the world. The only problem with Pike was that he had a very narrow mindset, so he didn’t really widen their views at all. He was bigoted, loud, and Miller often fell asleep while he was teaching. “Biggest asshole I’ve ever met.”

“Pretty big anti-merpeople stance,” Bellamy added looking grim. “The best way to do this is collect as much information as we can,” Bellamy said. “Lay it all on them at once. Come up with alternatives, other solutions, possible new treaties. If there’s anyone higher up that you three can bring—”

“I’m sorry,” Raven cut him off with a frown. “Who are you, again? Aren’t you just a guard?”

“Hey,” Clarke snapped, stepping in front of Bellamy as though protecting him from Raven's words. “Bellamy’s right.”

“We’re Golden Children,” Miller reminded her. “But you three are just merpeople.” Monty frowned at him considering Miller was echoing the sentiment from their earlier conversation. “If we can directly speak with someone higher up to make sure our plans align and don’t step on toes—”

“Not a saying we have,” Monty cut him off.

“— _push boundaries_ ,” Miller corrected as Monty smirked. “We just don’t—we don’t want to come up with this grand plan only to have your leaders disagree with it.”

The three merpeople were silent. Raven and Jasper both turned to look at Monty who looked like he was thinking. “Lincoln,” Monty finally suggested. “He’s Anya’s advisor—Anya’s our queen.”

“I can talk to Sinclair too,” Raven said. “He’s basically my boss, but he knows some powerful people.”

“Sounds good,” Miller said. He stood from where he was sitting and everyone’s eyes followed him. “Reconvene tomorrow?”

“I can’t tomorrow,” Clarke said as she added a few things to her notes. “Mom wants me to get my portrait touched up.”

Raven snorted. “Then I’ll bring Wells,” Miller said.

“Don’t you have training?” Bellamy asked.

“Whatever, I’ll skip it.”

“You can’t skip training,” Bellamy grit out.

“ _You_ can’t tell me what to do,” Miller countered. He looked back across the water, finding Monty again. “Tomorrow work for you?”

“We can make it work,” Monty said with a nod. Jasper eased back into the water, the soundlessness of it pulling Miller’s attention. “Same time?” Monty asked, and Miller nodded. “See you then, Nate.” Then he, too, slipped soundlessly into the water. Raven was the only one left she smiled brightly at them before joining her friends.

When the area was quiet for a moment Clarke turned to Miller, her eyebrows furrowed, and asked, “Nate?”

* * *

Bellamy was ordered to stay in the throne room the follow day, and he shot a look at Miller that said _don’t you dare go without me_.

So, naturally, Miller left without him. Wells was coming this time and Miller stopped in town to see if Octavia wanted to come, and then back to the _Stillatur Nave_ they went. Monty and Raven were already there, saying Jasper had plans so he couldn’t make it, but Lincoln might be showing up later. Wells and Octavia both gasped quietly to themselves when they first saw the merpeople, the same show of awe that Clarke and Bellamy had, but Miller wanted to go straight to work.

“Gonna get in the water today, Nate?” Monty asked from where he was. “It’s warm, I swear.”

“That’d be the magic,” Raven said. “All three of you should.”

“Hell _yes_ ,” Octavia said, already kicking off her shoes. “This is like a damn dream.”

Miller pulled his shoes off as well before climbing out on the rocks, dipping his feet in the water instead of getting in completely. Wells opted out entirely considering he was taking notes and didn’t want to get the parchment wet. Monty swam up to where Miller was sitting, reaching out to grab Miller’s ankle from under the water before wrinkling his nose. “Legs,” Monty said.

Miller tugged his ankle out of Monty’s grasp. “ _Tail_ ,” he countered.

“I’m much more aesthetically pleasing than you,” Monty said.

“Stop flirting,” Raven said.

They got back to work. Wells took notes today and listened intently, often struggling to pull his gaze from Raven even when she wasn’t speaking. Miller found himself with the same problem though, his eyes often drifting to Monty’s mouth as he spoke. He had to remind himself more than once to _listen_ , _pay attention_.

Soon enough the water broke and another merperson surfaced, looking cautious. He spoke in a language Miller didn’t know, but clearly Raven and Monty did because they both turned their heads and frowned. Monty spoke rapidly in response, gesturing with his hands as he did so, and Miller waited until their conversation was over. He exchanged a glance with Wells and Octavia before shrugging. He had no idea what was being said.

“This is Lincoln,” Raven finally told them. “He’s not going to speak. Just listen.”

So they started speaking again. Miller and Wells went over a dozen different plans on how to bring up the situation of the overcrowded sea to their parents and Lincoln listened stoically. After some more time had passed, Lincoln said something in that other language again, and then he was gone.

“That went well,” Monty said.

“Did it?” Miller asked.

“Lincoln’s going to talk with Anya,” Monty told him. “Without mentioning… this.” Miller nodded, allowing himself a smile, and reveling in the way that Monty smiled back. Wells caught Raven’s attention another time while Octavia splashed over to the two of them, asking for more details about this and the other, and Miller knew the day was ending. Monty slipped back in the water and swam across to the rock that Miller was stationed on, looking over at their friends before looking back to him. “Can you come back?” Monty asked gently. “Just you?” Miller tried not to focus on the way Monty’s long fingers were tracing their way up Miller’s calves. “Tomorrow?”

“I skipped training today,” Miller responded lowly, his eyes flickering to where Octavia was laughing with Wells and Raven. “If I miss it again tomorrow my dad’ll get mad. And suspicious.” Miller sighed, wishing for the millionth time that he wasn’t royalty. “Golden Children aren’t even supposed to leave the castle grounds.” Monty’s face fell a little and his hand dropped but Miller wasn’t finished. “What about the day after?” he asked.

Monty’s eyes brightened. “Yeah?”

“I can bring the boat out on Vera,” Miller said, nodding his head. “So you won’t have to swim as far. Same place as before.”

“There’s an old dock a little farther out,” Monty said. “We can meet where we did that first time and I’ll guide you to it. So you can dip your feet in the water.”

Miller nodded. “Okay.” Monty’s smile was warm and Miller couldn’t look away. “Any particular meaning behind this meeting?”

“I want to know the boy who’s going to save the day,” Monty said. Miller rolled his eyes and Monty swam a little closer. “And I want him to know me,” he said. Miller licked his lips. “Raven,” Monty said loudly, not pulling his eyes from Miller. “We should go.” Monty tapped Miller’s knee once. “See you soon, Nate.”

“See you soon,” Miller echoed softly.

* * *

Miller returned to the castle to find Bellamy… missing.

Truthfully, he wanted to talk about Monty. He knew it was impossible, whatever was stirring up inside of him, but he couldn’t stop himself from _wanting_. And he needed to talk to Bellamy about it. Also, though, Miller wasn’t great with words. So mostly he wanted to sit in the same room as Bellamy and wait for the other man to bring it up.

But Bellamy was missing.

“He’s not missing,” Clarke said when Miller asked. “He’s been with Kane all day.”

“In the throne room,” Miller said, remembering why Bellamy couldn’t go with them to see the merpeople today. “Doing what?”

Clarke looked annoyed. “I don’t know,” she said. “They won’t let me in either.”

Clarke wanted to talk about the merpeople though. The three Golden Children poured over the notes that Wells took, and Clarke pointed out how there was a lot of extra notes on the girl named Raven.

“She’s smart,” is all Wells said.

“They’re all smart,” Clarke said. “They’re scientist merpeople who’ve figured out how to get past the boundaries and enter the other seas.” The door to their library cracked open and the three scrambled to hide their notes, sighing in relief when it was Bellamy who walked in. “Look who it is,” Clarke teased.

Bellamy was tense, his eyes somewhere else. But he focused on Miller long enough to say, “Can I talk to you?”

“Shit,” Clarke muttered. “We’ve been caught.”

“Not yet,” Bellamy said to her. “But if you talk about it aloud in the library like this, then it won’t be long. Miller.” He gestured. Miller hurried to his feet and followed Bellamy out of the room as fast as he could. Bellamy led Miller down the hallway until they reached a small, private room. Bellamy shut the door behind him and immediately began to pace. “Remember,” he started, “how you said that all three of you, the Golden Children, didn’t want to take the throne?”

“Which time?” Miller asked. Because he’d spoken about it a lot. Clarke and Wells were more likely candidates than Miller, and definitely capable in their own sense, but neither of them wanted it. “But yeah, why?”

“I mentioned it,” Bellamy said lowly. “To Kane. Offhandedly. I wasn’t thinking, it just came out.” Miller arched an eyebrow, waiting for him to continue. “Today he asked me more,” Bellamy said, his voice still quiet. “He’s considering outsourcing.”

Miller’s eyebrows shot to his forehead. “ _What?_ You mean—take an heir?” Bellamy nodded, still pacing. “Not one of his own blood, of course.”

“He wants me to take the throne,” Bellamy said. Miller was frozen. “Kane wants me to be the next king.” Miller opened and closed his mouth a few times, but nothing was coming out. He wasn’t sure what to say. “All day he sat with his advisors, with Abby and David and Thelonious, and spoke to them about how this would be a good step for the kingdom.” Bellamy raked his hands over his face. “They’re on board.”

“They’re—” a laugh escaped Miller before he could stop it. “They’re on board? With you, Bellamy Blake, being the next king of Arkadia?” He jerked his head into a nod, still stunned himself, and Miller laughed again. “Holy shit, Bellamy.”

“They’ve given me a week to think about it,” he said. “Miller, I’m not royal material.”

“Like hell you’re not,” Miller said. “You’re an exceptional leader, Bellamy. You’ve got relations with royals as well as commoners. You’ve raised through the knightly ranks. You’re a classic rags to riches stories, the people would eat that alive. And—Christ, man, you’re _good_ at it. You listen and want to grow and you care about this country.”

Bellamy let out a shaking breath. “You think?”

“Take a few days,” Miller said. “Process it. But—Bellamy, you’re my best friend.” The idea of Bellamy Blake as the leader of Arkadia, that was something incredible. The fact that their country was in a place that would support it, their leadership agreeing to it, it gave him hope. “I think you could do it.”

* * *

With Bellamy distracted in the throne room with Kane again, Miller easily slipped through the gates and hurried his way outside of the castle grounds. He was happy for his friend. If they were open to Bellamy in a leadership position—to Bellamy as _king_ —then maybe the leadership of Arkadia would be willing to listen to a new treaty with the merpeople.

It didn’t take Miller long to find the place that he and Monty met all those days ago, and Monty was floating on his back as he waited for Miller to arrive.

“A little obvious,” Miller called out as he approached. “Don’t you think?”

Monty gestured widely to the open space around them. “You’re totally right, Nate,” he said. “Any one of these dozens of people around could catch and kill me.” Miller rolled his eyes and Monty grinned. “Come with me,” he said.

Monty guided Miller along the water until they reached that old dock that Monty had been talking about where Miller tied off the boat and climbed out. There was a large expanse of rocks that Miller climbed onto, slippery from the waves that splashed up every now and then.

“It’s nice,” Miller said as he lowered himself to sit. “Not as magical as the drop ship, though,” Miller said as he untied his shoes.

Monty swam backwards, arching an eyebrow. “I didn’t know you knew what _Stillatur Nave_ stood for,” Monty said.

“We take Latin classes in the castle,” Miller told him. Monty smiled and Miller focused his attention on his shoes. “ _Quid de te?_ ” Miller asked. What about you?

“ _Certe_ ,” Monty said. Certainly. “It’s a beautiful language.” Miller finally had both of his shoes off so he dipped his feet into the water. “The text we have says it originated with us and was passed to the land-walkers in the early days when peace was real and didn’t only falsely exist because of a piece of parchment.”

“Damn, Monty,” Miller said with a laugh. “That was fast.”

“Sorry. I’m bitter about how things ended up.”

“Just a little.”

“Sorry,” Monty said again. He pulled himself out on the rocks where Miller was sitting. “I’m glad you came,” he said softly. Miller ducked his head. He was used to the feeling of attraction. Hell, he spent every day with Bellamy. Miller knew attraction very well. But this was different, and part of it was because Monty was half-fish. Still Miller had never met someone who made him feel this content, as though a piece of him that had been missing was finally returned to place. “Was getting out of the castle tricky?”

“I don’t like doing it alone,” Miller admitted. “But it isn’t hard.”

“Why don’t you like doing it alone?”

“Then _all_ the blame goes to me,” Miller said with a grin. “If I’m with someone else and we get caught, at least it’s half and half.” Monty laughed, flicking his tail that was still in the water to splash in Miller’s direction. “Hey, now,” Miller said, holding up his hand as though shielding himself. “I’ve got to go back eventually. Can’t be soaking wet. People’ll stare.”

“They already stare,” Monty said, flicking his tail again. “Have you seen your face?”

Miller chuckled, dipping his hand into the water and trying to splash Monty in an attempt to get him to shut up. Monty’s hand extended quickly though and the water fell before it could reach him.

“Hell,” Miller said, watching the droplets fall. “I always forget merpeople have magic.”

Monty flicked his hand in Miller’s direction and the wind picked up slightly, just a breath against Miller’s face. “Not a lot,” Monty told him. “Raven’s got a lot of it, but mine’s pretty limited.”

“Elemental?” Miller asked. “What kind of magic do you have?”

“I’ve got air and water,” Monty told him. “But like I said, it’s limited. It’s not the magic that I’m good at.”

“ _Right_ ,” Miller remembered. “You’re an engineer.” Monty scrunched his nose up as Miller stretched out on his palms. “What do you make?” he asked.

“Whatever I want,” Monty said. “My parents are farmers; they don’t like that I love tech the way I do. Wish I would hone in on my powers more. So mostly it’s a hobby.” He looked up at Miller. “And your dad—he’s the chief guard?” Monty asked, and Miller nodded. “That’s why you train so often.”

“Yeah. There’re—so,” Miller readjusted in his seat, ready to explain the history. “There’re three Golden Children currently from the Golden Leaders. Me, Clarke, and Wells. Each of our lineages follows a different path. Clarke’s lineage is medical focused; Wells’ is diplomatic focused. Mine is more strategic, following the armies and the knights.” Miller wrinkled his nose. “I want nothing to do with it, but my father—he’s pretty into the lineage of it all. His father was chief guard, his father’s father. I’ll be it someday.”

“But one of you ascends to the throne?” Monty asks. “The other two are kept on as advisors—or leaders of whatever their lineage is?”

“It’s tricky this generation,” Miller admitted. “Normally the ruling family has a child who’s kept straight on the throne and the three of us would be the advisors. But currently our leader is Kane—he doesn’t have an heir. The heir normally just continues being the heir until they’re crowned. There’re typically four Golden Children, but now there’re only three, and we’re missing a direct heir. So it’s—it’s like one of us is selected. Well—things are changing, hopefully. Maybe. But until then.”

“And you don’t want it?” Monty asked.

“Not even for a second.”

“Why not?”

Miller struggled to come up with a cohesive answer. “It just isn’t the life I want to live,” he finally answered. “It’s the life that they’ve given me.”

“Okay.” Monty readjusted how he was sitting so he could prop his chin up in his hands. “If you could live your ideal life, the exact perfect life for _you_ , what would it be?” Monty asked. Miller let the question soak in and then paused, considering. He was quiet for a moment, maybe a moment too long. “Why do you look like that?” Monty asked with a smile. Miller blinked hard. “Confused?”

“I, uh…” Miller hesitated. He couldn’t come up with an answer. “No one’s asked me that before.”

Monty’s smile slipped. “But you haven’t—you haven’t thought about it?”

“I mean…” Miller trailed off again, shaking his head. It was much easier to not think about the life he wanted to live, considering he was never going to live it. It didn’t matter what he wanted. It didn’t matter that he dreamed of living a life on the seashore, his home filled with books and books and books. A life that involved never picking up another sword, a life that involved never training another knight, a life that involved never discussing a potential war.

A life in which he could take off the golden chain around his neck and dissolve into society completely.

“Nate?”

“I don’t know,” he finally rasped. But that was a lie. He _did_ know. He wanted a life where he felt like he made a difference without picking up his sword, a life where he could lounge in the sun with his friends by his side as he paged through old literature he didn’t have time for in this current life. “What about you?” he asked, hoping to get away from him.

Monty looked hesitant to move on, but did so anyway. “I’m living it,” he answered. “Working with tech, hanging out with my best friends, meeting cute boys on the outskirts of Vera Sea.” Miller felt his entire body flush. “This is the life I want. I mean I wish we had a bigger _sea_ to live in… but we’re getting there.”

“Yeah,” Miller agreed. “We’re getting there.”

* * *

Miller was late for his meeting with Monty, and the moment he arrived he could tell that Monty was worried. “I thought maybe something had happened,” Monty explained as Miller peeled off his boots and socks so he could dip his feet into the water. “You’re not typically late.”

It’s true, he wasn’t. And they’d been doing this for a few weeks now. Every other day that they had a chance, Miller and one of the other Golden Children, along with either Bellamy or Octavia, would meet at the _Stillatur Nave_ and discuss strategy and plans. It had been harder to get Bellamy away considering Kane was serious about his offer to Bellamy, and they were privately and quietly working through the legality of it all, but he came when he could. Miller had slowly been opening up to his father about the merpeople, asking questions about the old war and how things had gotten so out of hand, and Lincoln had been coming sporadically to listen. Miller really felt like as a whole they were making process even if it was small.

But on the days they didn’t meet up as a group Miller still found time to sneak out and see Monty. He _craved_ time spent with Monty.

It truly wasn’t that he was a merperson. That shock wore off almost instantly once he realized how normal Monty was, how he was just a boy with a tail who still had hopes and dreams and the best fucking smile Miller had ever seen in his life. Monty made him laugh and Monty questioned his dreams and his goals and Monty made him want to be a better person, a better Golden Child. Miller wanted to fix this problem, the problem of Vera Sea, and he wanted to do it for Monty.

“I know, I know,” Miller said. “Nothing happened. I just got held up at the market.”

“The market?” Monty questioned. They were alone today, Monty stretched out on the rock beside Miller as he soaked up the sun. “What were you there for?”

Miller hesitated. Not because he didn’t think that Monty would care (he wouldn’t), but because he himself cared maybe more than he wanted to admit. “I do this thing,” Miller started, trying to find the appropriate words to describe what he’d done. “So, uh, the people in the kingdom, not all of them have the best living conditions, you know?” Monty nodded as he listened. “Bellamy and Octavia, for example. They’ve got an okay setup on the shore with fishing, but not everyone’s that lucky.”

“So you… what?” Monty asked. “Go into the market and kiss their hands?” he teased. “Tell them it’ll be okay?”

“I take jewels from the castle and give them to people to sell on the black market with neighboring kingdoms so they can create some sort of revenue.”

Monty blinked a few times. “Oh.”

“It’s not jewels we use or need,” Miller muttered, fighting that familiar ache in his chest. But he’d seen the way that the people in the kingdom lived and it wasn’t a lot but creating enough revenue for them to buy and sell things was better than nothing. “And it’s just—yeah. That’s where I was.”

Monty was quiet for a few more moments, nodding slowly. “You don’t seem happy about it,” he pointed out, and Miller wrinkled his nose. “Why’s that?”

“A lot of reasons,” Miller told him. He and Monty were unendingly open with each other, and Miller knew even before being asked that he’d tell Monty the truth. “For starters it doesn’t feel like enough. You know? There’s so much in the castle that just—fuck, it’s just not enough. I don’t need to live the way that I do,” Miller stressed. He didn’t need the fancy clothes and the dish after dish of food. It was too much. “And then I just feel so guilty sometimes…” he trailed off with a sigh. “My dad, he…” It was difficult to get out, but he worked out the words in his head. “He’s pretty big in the lineage. He cares a lot about being chief guard, about _me_ being chief guard, and a Golden Child, and things like that, and…”

After he was silent for a moment, Monty reached out to squeeze his hand. “Hey.”

Miller wrinkled his nose. “To me, it feels right. Taking things we don’t need and giving it to those who don’t have enough. But I know I’m not the man my father wants me to be. He wants me to be a fighter and a soldier, and I’m good at that. I am. But I’m better at _other things_.”

“Like what?” Monty wondered.

“Stealing,” Miller muttered.

A laugh bubbled out of the merboy beside him. “I’m sure you’re a great thief,” Monty teased.

Miller rolled his eyes, fighting off his own laugh. “I really like literature,” Miller told him. “I like working with people, not against them. I like the intelligence portion of fighting, the spying and the trickery. Not the actual fighting.” Monty nodded in response, holding that soft smile on his face as Miller spoke. “I’m just not the person he wants me to be.”

“I like this person,” Monty said quietly.

Miller felt his body flush. “I’m glad.”

* * *

At their weekly meeting with the rest of the merpeople, they solidified some sort of plan. It involved giving merpeople increased usage of all surrounding seas with the first few miles on the shores of Arkadia to the land-dwellers so they could continue to fish, as well as small pockets for deep sea fishing. It was a pretty extreme plan, even after mapping everything out, but everyone was confident in it.

“So you reach out to your dad first,” Clarke said, looking at the paper. “With his strategy and tactical knowledge, it’ll give him insight. And Wells,” she gestured to the boy on the rock by Raven. “You’ll reach out to your dad too about logistics of changing a treaty without no power play. And Bellamy—” she turned to the boy sitting next to her who was browsing her notes. “You’ll talk to Kane?”

“You know I will,” he said gently.

He’d originally been _very against_ this sort of sneaking around and interaction with the merpeople. But once it became more evident that he would be the next person to take the throne of Arkadia, he wanted something _strong_. He wanted to be known for something good, for a change that would make a difference, and he’d been swayed to the side of rebellion in the end.

“What happens when they find out you’ve been meeting with us?” Jasper asked from the water.

“You could get in trouble,” Monty said quietly. “Couldn’t you? For speaking up for us.”

“Oh, we’re almost guaranteed to,” Miller responded.

Monty shook his head. “That isn’t right.”

“I’d rather me get in trouble,” Miller said, “than any of you get killed.” Raven and Jasper looked grateful, as well as Lincoln even though he hadn’t spoken much to them ever, but Monty looked fearful. “What are they going to do to us?” Miller teased. “Break our chains? Kick us out of the castle?”

Clarke laughed. “They’d be screwed without us.”

* * *

“I’m going to do it,” Miller said.

Monty sunk into the water a little, a small smile lighting up his face. “Do what, Nate?”

“Tell my dad. About you. The merpeople,” he added a bit too quickly. But Monty was still smiling. “Tomorrow, maybe. I mean it. Just takes some… nerve.”

“We haven’t spoken with Anya yet,” Monty reminded him. “We have our meeting in a few days. Wait until then. Just to be safe.” Miller sighed. He was tired of being safe. This whole meeting had been done out of risk and not following the rules. Meeting Monty had been done by breaking treaties. “It means a lot to me,” Monty said. “What you’re doing for us.”

“It’s not right,” Miller said. “That we’re trying to confine you.”

“It’s not,” Monty agreed. He was quiet for a moment, swimming down by the water where Miller’s ankles were in the waves. “I don’t want to talk about it anymore though,” he said. “That’s for group meetings. Not this.”

“This,” Miller echoed gently. Maybe so gently that Monty couldn’t hear it. Miller wasn’t entirely sure what _this_ was, but he didn’t want to question it.

He loved moments with Monty, listening to the boy talk about the wonders of the water, about his home, about his life. Miller found himself falling asleep dreaming of what the underwater city looked like, knowing there’d never be any books or photos to accurately give him insight to it.

“Legs are fascinating,” Monty said, his long fingers suddenly tracing up Miller’s ankle before making a circle across Miller’s knee. “They seem so… unnecessary.”

“Funny,” Miller murmured. “I’d say the same thing about tails.” Monty grinned up at him, still tracing patterns across him. Down his knees, over his calves. “Have you ever wondered?” Miller asked, stretching backwards on the palms of his hands. “About having legs?”

“I mean, sure,” Monty said. “Everyone does. You’ve probably wondered about having a tail.” And he had, so Miller nodded. “Doesn’t mean I want them.” Monty sank down into the water a little, his hands traveling to Miller’s ankles that were below the surface. “The land is fascinating,” Monty told him. “But so are the seas.” A mischievous smile slipped onto his face. “We’re probably more advanced than you, anyway.”

Miller rolled his eyes. “It’s not a competition.”

“It _is_ a competition,” Monty said. “And I’m winning.” Miller rolled his eyes again but he couldn’t help the smile that was forming on his face. “I wish you could see,” Monty said dreamily with a sigh. “I mean I can get glimpses. Land-walkers build up. But it’s not like we can get you a tail for a day so you can come down.”

Miller wanted that. He wanted to see. He wanted Monty to take him there, to the civilizations below the water.

“Describe it to me,” Miller said softly. It still wouldn’t be enough, but he craved it.

Monty waited a beat, searching Miller’s eyes. “What if I _could_ show you?” he asked. Miller gestured for an elaboration. “There’s rumors of a sea witch,” Monty said. “More powerful than most. I mean, we’re sort of confined to Vera and all that, but—”

“Wait, wait, wait,” Miller stopped him. “Sea witch?”

“Her name’s Becca,” Monty said. “Rumor is she can create a ring of gold. Full of magic. Can give the wearer a tail.” His eyes flickered to Miller’s ankles under the water. “Or legs, if they have already have a tail.”

Miller’s eyebrows shot up to his forehead. “Monty,” he said. “If we—if there’s a witch that can allow a merperson on land or a landperson to the sea, imagine how much easier it would be to convince our respective groups about a new treaty!” But Monty didn’t seem that excited. “Monty—”

“If people know about that kind of power, Nate, it’ll get into the wrong hands.” He reached out then, pushing himself mostly out of the water. “If I were to get my hands on it then you couldn’t tell anyone. At least not right away.” His voice went softer. “But I’d still want you to see.”

Miller understood. And truth be told, “I’d want to see.”

Monty reached for Miller’s hand. “If I look for Becca,” he said, “it stays between us.” Miller wouldn’t look at him. “ _Nate_ ,” he said. “It could be dangerous.”

“Then maybe don’t do it at all,” Miller responded, his voice a little sharp.

Monty squeezed his fingers. “Nate,” he said again, his voice dropping to a whisper.

“I don’t want you to get hurt,” Miller said. “Or lost to some sea witch. Or--”

Monty pushed himself out of the water, reaching up to grab the lapels of Miller’s jacket. He tugged him down toward the water, down toward him, kissing him once before letting go and sinking back into the sea. Miller was still bent down by the water, his lips parted in surprise and his heart pounding against his ribs.

“I’ve got to go,” Monty murmured. “But I’ll see you soon,” he said with a smile as he swam away.

“ _Monty_ ,” Miller exhaled. _Come back_ , he wanted to order. He wanted to talk more about the sea witch, and about how much he wanted him to stay safe, and about the _kiss_. But instead he licked his lips, his mouth quirking into a smile that mimicked Monty’s. “I’ll see you soon,” he echoed.

* * *

Monty crowded Miller’s thoughts.

He couldn’t focus during sparring and he couldn’t focus during chess and he couldn’t fucking _focus_. Wells and Clarke noticed, and it didn’t take long for his father to notice either.

“Nathan,” he said gently, pulling him aside after a strategy meeting where they discussed the boundary toward Mount Weather’s nation. “I know that you… aren’t thrilled. To sit through meetings and such. But you seem particularly distant today.”

Miller shrugged. “I’m fine,” he said.

“You’re always fine. I don’t want you fine. I want to know what you’re thinking about.”

 _Making out with a merman,_ Miller thought bitterly.

But if anything, this could be a segway. “It’s random,” Miller said. David arched an eyebrow, clearly not expecting for his son to actually open up to him. “I’ve been thinking about the merpeople.”

“The merpeople,” David echoed. He shook his head. “We fought our wars with them years ago, long before you and I had any say over anything that mattered. Why would you be thinking about them?” He tilted his head to the side as though considering something, but chose not to say. “You go missing sometimes.”

“Please don’t talk to me about avoiding my duties,” Miller muttered. “I was just--I was reading the treaty we have with them.”

“It confines them to Unity Sea,” David said with a nod. “I’m familiar with it.”

Miller’s mouth felt dry. “What if we…” he started and stopped, trying to ignore the disapproving look in his father’s eyes. David must think he’s playing a game or something, being dramatic. “What if we made some adjustments?” Miller asked. “It seems unreasonable, Dad.”

“We’re in no position to rewrite a treaty, Nathan. There’s no _need_ for it.”

Miller swallowed. “But what if there is?”

* * *

His talk with his father did not go as planned. Miller didn’t expect that it would go over _great_ , but he didn’t expect David to just storm out halfway through looking angry and confused. To be fair, though, Miller had kind of admitted to sneaking out of the castle and speaking with merpeople who weren’t meant to be spoken with.

“You can’t trust merpeople,” David had said at one point, his eyebrows drawn together. “What with their magic--they could be manipulating you!”

And Miller had shouted back, “They’re not!”

In the end, David swore he wouldn’t say anything to the others until he had some more time to think. It wasn’t much of a promise, but at least it was something.

* * *

Miller snuck out the next day knowing his father would know that he left and not caring one bit. David was always good on his word, and Miller wanted to see Monty.

Octavia wasn’t at the dock when Miller arrived, or at home, which was odd, but the boat was still there so he hopped in and sailed away to the place he knew he’d be able to find Monty. Monty, like always, was waiting for him with that soft and knowing smile on his face.

Miller lingered in the boat.

“Talked to my dad,” he said.

Monty’s eyebrows shot straight to his forehead. “You don’t look particularly happy about the outcome,” he responded.

Miller shrugged. “He’s thinking things over.” With a sigh, Miller dropped his head into his hands. “He’s pretty opened minded. Really. But he still thinks that you all--with your magic…”

Monty waggled his fingers teasingly. “That we’re controlling your brains?” he joked. That, somehow, managed to pull a smile out of Miller. “Not that you’d be able to _tell_ ,” Monty said emphatically, “but I’m definitely not doing that.”

“Maybe you are,” Miller said. “I mean, I can’t get you out of my fucking head either way.” Monty’s lips parted and Miller’s eyes dropped to watch the motion. He was still smiling, that small perfect smile that made Miller want to command oceans.

Monty pushed away from the rocks he was swimming by so he could lean against the edge of Miller’s boat. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Monty said slowly.

Miller was still in his seat. “Don’t play dumb.”

“The only sort of magic I have is very, very limited control over water and air,” Monty reminded him.

Miller’s eyes lingered on Monty’s mouth. “I’m not sure about that.”

Monty licked his lips. “Come here,” he murmured.

Without hesitation, Miller leaned in.

He tasted salty, like the sea. Monty’s lips were chapped but warm. Familiar, somehow. When his hand curved around Miller’s cheek Miller leaned in further, following Monty as he sunk into the ocean. Finally Miller broke away, forcing himself back into the boat. “Hold on,” he rasped. Quickly he pulled his shirt up and over his head and then he kicked off his boots and peeled off his socks. Miller eased over the edge of the boat and Monty’s hands were on him at once, cupping his cheeks and tugging him toward him.

Miller groaned into Monty’s mouth, his hands slipping over his shoulders, gripping his back. “This is better,” Monty breathed and Miller nodded, moving toward him again and again. But kissing and swimming at the same time was hard and soon Miller was breathless for more than one reason. Monty noticed. “Nate, hey,” he murmured, pulling back. Monty’s tail lifted, brushing against Miller and startling him. “I can help,” he said softly. “Swimming isn’t as difficult for me. And the--well, magic.” Miller reached out then, his hand gliding over Monty’s sleek tail. “Hey,” Monty reached forward and cupped Miller’s cheek. “Don’t think about it.”

“What?”

“My tail,” Monty said with a nervous smile. “Don’t think about it.”

“I’m not,” Miller responded just as gently. “That doesn’t matter to me,” he said. It should. He knew it should matter to him that Monty had a tail. But it didn’t. “I just want you,” Miller exhaled.

And that was the truth. Miller knew, deep down, that he had a problem with wanting things he couldn’t typically have, people he couldn’t normally be with. But that wasn’t what was happening with Monty, not at all. With him it felt like all of those other people had been distractions, or the universe’s way of saying _not yet_.

“We’re impossible,” Monty murmured against his mouth. And Miller knew that was true, too. That they were impossible. “But I want you too,” he breathed. Monty’s hands were firm against Miller’s shoulders. “I talked to Lincoln last night,” Monty whispered.

“I thought you were talking to Anya,” Miller murmured.

“Unrelated. Lincoln, he’s got a friend--Luna. She has ties to Becca.”

“The sea witch?” Miller asked.

Monty nodded. “Nate, I want you to _see_ my world, not just hear about it. I want you to--”

“Okay,” Miller breathed. He wanted that too. He wanted _everything_ with Monty. “Okay.”

* * *

“You’re late,” Bellamy said.

“I didn’t realize you were babysitting me today,” Miller muttered. Still, he hurried up the dock, straightening his shirt and hiding his chain underneath as he walked up to Bellamy, arms crossed over his chest. Bellamy must’ve went to check in on him at some point today and found him missing. Or maybe his father reached out. But dinner was mandatory for all Golden Children, and that was rapidly approaching. “I lost track of time,” Miller murmured. There was something in Bellamy’s eyes that was sad, something distant, but Miller hurried past him. “You’re not king yet,” Miller muttered, starting for the square, knowing it was the fastest way to the hidden pathways. “You can’t yell at me.”

Bellamy followed with a huff. “When I’m king the Golden Children won’t be confined to the fucking castle grounds,” Bellamy said. “But that’s not-- _Miller_ ,” he sighed. “You were with Monty, right?”

Miller kept his eyes elsewhere. “I was,” he said, keeping their pace brisk. Like Bellamy said, Miller was late. They needed to get back to the castle as soon as the could.

 _“Miller_ ,” Bellamy tried again. “I know why you go off with him.” Miller stumbled to a stop. He turned to look at Bellamy now, that same sad look in his eyes. “He’s a merman, Miller.” Silence hung between them. “You’re a human.”

Miller swallowed. “I know,” he said.

“I see how you look at him when we have group meetings, and I know I might know understand how you feel, but--”

“Stop,” Miller cut him off. He closed his eyes tightly. “I know it’s…” Miller trailed off, unsure of what to say. Because he knew what it was, falling in love with a merperson. It was impossible in so many ways. Impossible in the sense that Miller was a Golden Child, impossible in the sense that they were different species, impossible in the fact that Miller could never have a life that he wanted. Monty was an impossibility that he craved. And he knew that. “I just, I know, Bellamy,” Miller said. “I know. Please don’t patronize me.”

“You’re my best friend,” Bellamy said. “I just hate knowing this is going to end in pain. For both of you.”

Miller sighed, partially thankful that Bellamy could be so honest with him but also frustrated that Bellamy couldn’t even offer some sort of hope. But false hope was worse than no hope, and Miller knew that.

“Maybe—” Miller started, but stopped when there was a shout.

“Hey!” Bellamy moved almost as if it was on reflex, and before Miller knew what was happening Bellamy had spun him around and was holding Miller’s hands behind his back. Miller looked up to find Pike striding toward them with a frown on his face. “Prince Nathan,” Pike growled, “what are you doing outside the castle walls?”

Bellamy held him tightly as if to say _don’t speak_. “Caught this one in the city,” Bellamy said gruffly. “We were on our way back to the castle now.”

Pike narrowed his eyes, searching Bellamy’s face for a lie. But Bellamy and Miller had worked this out forever ago. If they were caught, Miller would take the fall and Bellamy would claim the reward that comes with catching a prince. Bellamy didn’t like that plan but he’d put a lot at risk when taking Miller outside the grounds, and Miller refused anything else.

“What were you doing outside the walls?” Pike hissed, directing his attention to Miller.

A half-truth was what he could give. “I was giving jewels to the townspeople,” Miller answered. “Jewels we don’t need in the castle.”

Pike’s face turned dark, angry. “You’re a goddamn thief,” Pike snapped. “We’re taking you straight to Kane.”

* * *

Kane seemed less angry and more annoyed than anything.

It was embarrassing having David, standing to the side with a scowl on his face that could rival one of Miller’s. Wells and Clarke were crowded in the doorway and Bellamy stood by Kane’s side with his head bowed and Pike was _shouting_.

Kane held up his hand to silence Pike. “Enough,” he said tiredly. “Charles. Why are you always so _angry_?”

Pike huffed. “It’s my job as the Golden Advisor to--”

“To advise,” Kane cut him off. “Not reprimand, or shout, or threaten the children.” Pike was fuming. “He’s a child. It’s in the name. _Golden Children_.”

“You’re too lenient,” Pike bit out. “Without reprimanding--”

“I didn’t say I wouldn’t reprimand the boy,” Kane said calmly. “I simply said it was not your place.” Pike still looked like he was going to implode. “Thank you for bringing him to me,” Kane said with a dip of his head. “You’re dismissed.”

“Marcus--”

“ _Dismissed_.” Pike looked to Miller, bared his teeth, and left with a frown. Then Kane turned to Miller with a frown of his own. “Nathan,” he said tiredly.

“We spend too much on luxuries for ourselves,” he bit out. “It’s irresponsible.”

“No, what’s irresponsible is leaving the castle grounds.”

“I’m eighteen,” Miller snapped. “I’ve got the most physical training out of all of the Golden Children here. If I want to take a walk, I should be allowed to take a fucking _walk_.” Kane sighed, reaching up to rub at his face. “When you were my age,” Miller wondered, “didn’t you ever want outside the castle?”

“Of course. But not to give away prized gems to strangers.”

“Then I’ll stop stealing.”

“You’ll stop sneaking out at all,” Kane corrected. “Because you’re on lockdown. One month.”

Clarke gasped from the doorway.

“ _One month_?” Miller barked. “You’ve got to be kidding me!”

“Confined to your room.”

“Marcus,” David said softly. “Don’t you think--”

“Would you rather I make it two?” Kane wondered. Clarke gasped again, and it looked like Wells was trying to push her out of the room. “One month. Total lockdown. It will give you time to think, Nathan.” Miller swallowed the anger that was deep in his stomach and stood up straight. It wouldn’t do anyone any good to push the issue. “And time to rummage through your things to decide what you don’t need, so we can reimburse what we’ve lost here at the castle.”

“Understood,” Miller grit out.

“Total lockdown means meals to your room, work in your room, everything in your room. Is that clear?”

“I said understood,” Miller snapped.

“Your temper will do you no favors. Dismissed.”

Miller commanded himself to bow before he stalked away to his room.

* * *

It was barely twenty minutes before Clarke, Wells, and Bellamy were all gathered in Miller’s room. They kept talking over one another. Miller sat, perched on the edge of his bed, staring at the ground. Two weeks on lockdown. Miller already knew that there would be a guard who wasn’t Bellamy would be stationed at his door, monitoring his every movement.

Any chance of seeing Monty was gone for the time being.

Finally, he held up his hand to get them to all stop talking. “Here’s what’s going to happen,” Miller said, keeping his voice even. “I’m going to draft a new possible treaty. You three,” he murmured, motioning to them, “are going to keep meeting with the others. Look for possible ways to increase commerce, anything that will provide a mutual benefit for both of us is more likely to get a new treaty passed.”

“Miller,” Wells tried.

“Talk to your parents this week,” he said, ignoring the sad look in Wells’ eyes. “I’ve already spoken with my father. Once all three chiefs have been informed,” he said, looking to Bellamy, “then we move in on Kane. Clear?”

“Yes,” they chorused back.

“Pike can know nothing,” Miller said. “Nothing at all.”

* * *

The month dragged on. Miller’s room was large, sure, but it wasn’t _that_ large. He spent a lot of time on his balcony, looking out toward the sea, thinking about Monty. Whenever his friends would come back and keep him in the loop, he clung to the moments of Monty.

Bellamy would come back after Wells and Clarke were gone with a little more information.

“He’s worried out of his damn mind,” Bellamy said one day. “I think he just misses you.”

“Not sure if that makes it better or worse,” Miller said with a sigh.

He’d change the subject, ask Bellamy about his diplomacy lessons, about Octavia, about life outside the walls, trying to think of anything but Monty. Miller couldn’t stop thinking about Monty. A few kisses had rendered him absolutely useless.

Miller was lucky he’d spent so much of his youth discovering the secret passageways around the castle. Right after someone would deliver his meals he knew he’d be left alone for a long stretch of time. So instead of eating right away he would slip out, wandering the walkways behind the walls.

He was raised in a castle of secrets. So when he heard whispers he couldn’t stop himself from listening in.

Miller pressed his ear to the wall as he heard Clarke say, “That’s ridiculous, Bellamy. He can’t _do that_.”

“If Pike wants to file an appeal against me,” Bellamy said, his voice empty and sad, “then he’s got every right. If the council doesn’t want me as a king, then--”

“Shut up,” Clarke snapped. It was clear, even from his hiding spot in the wall, that Clarke wasn’t angry with Bellamy. She was angry with everyone else. “If you have the endorsement of Kane, it shouldn’t matter! Besides, isn’t he claiming you as his heir? That fits you for the throne!”

“Even if Kane takes me as his heir,” Bellamy murmured, “I’m still not royalty.”

“Then I’ll marry you,” Clarke told him. There was something sharp in her voice, something strong. “Make you royalty through marriage! You’re fit for the crown, who cares about your blood? Your title?”

But Bellamy was soft. “If we were to marry,” he whispered, “I’d rather it be for a different reason.”

Miller sighed, resting his head against the wall. He’d known of Bellamy’s feelings for Clarke for a long time. Because of his status compared to hers, it had almost always been just a dream. But now with these changes, with Bellamy perhaps becoming king, there would be no more barriers.

It was surprising when Clarke whispered back, “Those other reasons are already there.” Miller knew he should stop listening, but. “You _know_ I love you,” she said.

 _Hmm_. Miller needed to leave. He would have to talk to Bellamy later.

“I know,” Bellamy rasped. “But--”

“They can’t take you from me,” Clarke carried on desperately. “Or _this_ from _us_.” And then, even sadder, “You deserve to be king! I’ve never met a royal as noble or brave as you.”

“ _Clarke--_ ”

Miller hurried back to his room before he could hear anything else.

* * *

Finally, finally, finally the month was over.

Clarke and Wells gathered in Miller’s room the second his freedom was permitted, smiles on their faces, and an offer to roam the castle grounds for some fresh air.

“I’ve been locked up for a month,” Miller muttered. “You think I want to roam the _castle_ grounds?”

“It’s too risky to go tonight,” Clarke warned. “Sneaking out is literally what got you locked up! Anyone could follow you!”

But Miller grabbed a pack, covered his trail, and headed out.

The hike into the square seemed to take forever and the docks were eerily quiet, but Miller hopped on Bellamy and Octavia’s family boat and headed for the place he was most likely to find Monty. The water seemed to glow as he approached and Miller wondered if Monty was always glowing and the could never tell because they only saw each other in the daylight, or _what_. But when Monty saw the boat coming he waved his hands, using the water to push him forward faster.

Miller wasn’t even all the way to where Monty was propped up by the rocks when he started shedding his clothes, not wanting to get them wet. He jumped into the water and Monty used his power to pull him close. Then they were kissing.

Miller sighed into Monty’s mouth and Monty cupped Miller’s cheeks and _God_ Miller couldn’t believe he went one month without kissing this beautiful boy. Finally they broke apart, both of them breathing heavily, and Miller grinned.

“Hey,” he said.

“Don’t smile at me,” Monty murmured, kissing him again. Monty's lips were salty and warm. “I’m angry.”

“You’re angry?” Miller asked, unable to stop smiling now that Monty had forbid it. “Because I got in trouble?”

“Yes!” Miller kissed him this time, long and deep, like he wanted to drink in the ocean from Monty's lips. Monty sighed. The scowl melted from his face. “I missed you,” Monty muttered.

“Good. I missed you too.”

They kissed some more, Monty’s hands winding around Miller’s waist, sliding up his bare back, Miller tangling his fingers into Monty’s thick hair. It was perfect. It was much needed after one month locked in his room. Any dream or hopeful thought he'd had would never compare to this.

But it didn’t last.

Monty pulled away as soon as Miller started being the one to deepen the kisses. “I can’t believe you got caught,” Monty murmured, holding tight to Miller’s wrists. “I knew that we were getting careless, but.” Miller shook his head, sliding his hand down to curve around Monty’s face. “I’ve been so freaking worried,” he whispered, and Miller shook his head again. “Are you still in trouble?”

“Slightly,” Miller admitted. “It’s mostly over now. Lockdown. They’ll probably be watching me a bit closer. But it’s not your fault.”

“It _is_ ,” Monty said. “You only—you only left the castle so often because of _me_ , Nate!” Miller leaned in to kiss him, unable to find the right words to calm Monty but thinking a kiss would make things okay, but Monty pulled back and shook his head. “No, don’t,” Monty murmured. Miller’s eyebrows pulled together and he blinked hard. “We… Nate, I…” Monty trailed off and slipped backwards in the water. “I don’t think I can do this to you.” Miller fumbled to latch onto a word, any word that could cry out and protest, but nothing was sticking in his head. He saw this moment from a distance. “It’s not safe for you,” Monty said.

“Safe for me?” Miller echoed, finally having a way into this conversation. “You’re not even in Unity Sea! Monty if anyone’s not safe it’s _you_! I got in trouble, it’s not the end of the world.”

“It could be,” Monty murmured. He licked his lips. They were just kissing _moments ago_. What was with the sudden change? “Maybe not for you, but…”

“So it’s not about me then,” Miller said, realizing. “It’s about your safety.” Monty ducked his head. “That I understand, Monty,” he said sharply. “Don’t try and pin this on you worrying about me when you’re acting in self preservation.”

“Is that the worst?” Monty asked.

“No!” Miller’s voice sounded angry, but he was being honest. It wasn’t the worst. Miller understood his fear. “But to say that it’s not safe for _me_ when you’re the one in danger--just don’t _lie_ to me.”

Monty ducked his head again, shaking it slowly. “Okay,” Monty said slowly. Suddenly, there was a knot in Miller’s throat. “I don’t think we should do this anymore.”

Miller set his jaw. “The kissing,” he clarified. Because of course Monty still needed him to work out a treaty. And of course he would say this needed to stop only just after Miller had a taste of something he wanted so desperately. 

“It makes things blurry,” Monty said, shaking his head. “It makes me confused.”

“Fine,” Miller said. He pushed his way back onto the nearby rocks. The night air was cold. “Then we’ll stop.”

“Nate--”

Miller shook his head, sensing the regret in Monty’s voice. He’d waited one month for this moment, but clearly Monty had been thinking about other things while Miller had been thinking about _him_. “It’s fine,” Miller lied, ignoring the ache in his chest. “We’d never work anyway.”

“This isn’t going over how I thought,” Monty rushed. “Just--”

“How’d you expect this to go over?” Miller bit. He started off for his boat. Something inside of him was suddenly broken. It was awful, but suddenly Miller wished he’d never left his room at all. Maybe Kane should've given him two months after all so he could have shook Monty completely. “I should go.”

“ _Nate_. At least let me dry you off!”

“Forget it,” he snapped. He climbed in the boat, still wet, and started the engine without looking to Monty. “See you later.”

“See you soon,” Monty corrected softly. Miller ignored the way it made his heart feel blue and sped away without looking back.

* * *

Bellamy was waiting in Miller’s room on the edge of his bed when Miller got back. With a huff Miller dropped his bag, letting it clatter to the floor, and Bellamy tipped his head slightly.

“You okay?” Bellamy asked.

Miller was looking at the ground. “Did you say something? To Monty?”

Bellamy narrowed his eyes. “No. Why?”

“I don’t know. Forget it.” Miller shook his head. He hadn’t moved from his spot and moved to lean backwards against the door. How was it that so much could change in a matter of hours? “I think I made it up in my head,” Miller murmured. “Everything.”

Bellamy smiled softly. “I can promise you that we’ve actually been talking with merpeople,” he said.

“Not what I meant,” Miller murmured. He forced himself to swallow. “Things with Monty,” he clarified. The feelings. The want from both of them. “I--it must’ve meant more to me than to him.”

“Miller,” Bellamy said gently.

He shook his head again. “It doesn’t matter,” he made himself say. “It wouldn’t have worked anyway.” No matter how many times he said it aloud, though, it still ached deep inside of him.

There were very few things that Miller wanted, because he knew he could never have them. He wouldn’t be able to have a future without his sword. He wouldn’t be able to take off the golden chain around his neck. He wouldn’t be able to live the life that he wanted. But somehow he’d convinced himself that a future with Monty, that _somehow_ , it was possible.

It was no surprise that he wasn’t allowed this. It just hurt so much more, because he’d tricked himself into thinking he could.

Bellamy was quiet. “You want me to go?” he asked.

“No,” Miller answered. As much as he wanted to be alone, he also really didn’t want to be alone. He needed to talk about something else. “How’s your kingliness going?” Miller asked.

Bellamy pat Miller’s bed, jerking his head so Miller knew to join him. With a deep breath, Miller crossed the room to sit beside his friend. “It’s being voted upon this week,” Bellamy said. Miller laid back, his legs dangling off the edge, and soon Bellamy joined him. “If it’s approved, Kane drafts up the legal work to make me his heir.”

“How’s Octavia feel about all of this?”

“She’s excited,” Bellamy said. “Mostly. We’ll have to sell our shack by the shore. Which she’s not thrilled about. But it wouldn’t be safe for her to stay, and she doesn’t want a guard posted on her 24/7.”

They were quiet a beat. “What’s going on with you and Clarke?” he asked.

The silence lingered. Bellamy hesitated. “Back before Kane even considered taking on an heir,” Bellamy said slowly, “Clarke and I… were close.”

“Close,” Miller echoed.

“She’d always stay up late in the library and she’d need a guard and it happened to be me a lot just by chance. She’d call me over and we’d discuss this or that and…” he sighed. “You’ve known how I feel about her.”

“Obviously. I did kind of overhear her ask you to marry her.”

Bellamy’s eyebrows came together. “You--what?”

“I was in the walls,” Miller said dismissively.

“You were eavesdropping?” Bellamy asked, and Miller shrugged. “Nosy asshole,” Bellamy said, shoving Miller with a laugh. Miller was grinning. They turned, almost nose to nose the way they were laying. “I love her. And she--she says she loves me.”

“You’d have to have two kids,” Miller teased. “One for the heir, one for chief of medicine.”

“I know,” Bellamy said. “We’ve--”

“You’ve talked about it?” Miller cut him off. “Unbelievable! You don’t tell me anything anymore.”

Bellamy was grinning again. “Obviously I don’t have to if you’re listening _in the walls._ ” Miller let himself smile, happy for his friend.

But lying there on his bed with Bellamy by his side, talking about all of his dreams actually coming true, all of his dreams just out of reach but certainly achievable, made something inside him suddenly feel hollow. Bellamy _did_ deserve to be king. He was insightful and had many connections and would be an excellent leader. He _deserved_ for all of his dreams to come true. And Miller was happy for him.

Still, it ached.

* * *

Miller didn’t think he had ever been so relieved to spar. But after a morning with his sword with his dad cheering him on from the sidelines, Miller was incredibly thankful for the outlet. David clapped him on the shoulder afterwards with a grin.

“That was excellent, Nathan.”

Miller wiped his forehead with the back of his arm. He hadn’t been allowed out of his room, and his room certainly wasn’t large enough for sparring, so it had been a month since he was allowed to move his muscles this way. _Maybe I could learn to love this_ , Miller thought. He could learn to love the fighting. He liked strategy. He liked the way his muscles ached after a good workout. He could _learn_ to love this life.

He was going to have to try, anyway.

“Thanks Dad,” Miller said. He swallowed. “I was wondering--could I sit in on the trade agreement with Azgeda this afternoon? Wells mentioned he’ll be there too.”

David looked surprised that Miller wanted to _do something_ related to his title. “Yes!” he burst. “Yes, son, of course you can come. Your insight would be invaluable!”

Miller smiled, wiping his forehead again. When it came down to it, of course he could learn to love this life if it would make his father happy.

“I’ll go freshen up,” Miller said.

* * *

The meeting with Azgeda wasn’t as awful as Miller thought it would be. In fact, King Roan’s diplomat Echo spoke with a ferocity that Miller could get behind. He didn’t _like_ her, but he admired the fire in her eyes.

From then he wandered the castle until dinner, and after that he ended up in the library with a book. _Learn to love this life_ , he thought. He repeated it like a mantra, again and again, settling onto one of the couches with an old favorite.

He was doing okay with a slight breeze through the open balcony and the soft scent of vanilla in the air from the candles scattered about when Wells and Clarke arrived.

There was a slight knock. He didn’t move. _This life_ , he thought again. This one. The life of a prince, not a delinquent.

“Ready, Miller?” Wells asked, lingering in the doorway. Miller didn’t look up from the book he was reading. “Miller?”

“I’m not going,” he said.

Clarke frowned. “What? Why not?”

“I’m just not,” Miller snapped. Clarke and Wells exchanged a glance and Miller looked up at them. “I don’t want to go,” he said. “It’s that simple. Go without me.”

“You _always_ go,” Wells said. “You haven’t been to a group meeting in a month.” Still, Miller didn’t move. “You’re the whole reason we’re _doing_ this.”

That was true. And no matter what had happened with Monty, the sudden change in whatever it was that had been happening between them, Miller wanted to finish this. He wanted to fix what was broken.

“What happened?” Clarke asked suddenly. “You rushed out of here the night you were free. What happened since then?”

Wells hesitated. “You’ve been meeting Monty on the side,” he said. “Right? Did you two fight?”

“Mind your own business.”

“Put aside your petty feelings,” Clarke snapped, “and let’s get ready to go.” Miller lowered his book. “This is not about one merperson,” she growled after testing a glance over her shoulder. “This is about _all of them_.” Miller’s eyes were elsewhere. He knew that was true. The cut that Monty made though was still raw.

Miller couldn’t get over him if he was forced to see him all the time.

“We’re so close,” Wells said softly. “Can’t you feel it?”

With a deep breath, Miller closed his book. The sooner this was settled, the sooner he could move on.

* * *

Monty wasn’t even there.

There was something like relief erupting inside of Miller when Raven and Jasper and Lincoln all surfaced, apologizing for Monty not coming around, but also something painful and sharp. Despite the fact that it was late Raven held out her hand and caused the water to glow, soft and warm, giving them some nice ambiance.

Octavia joined them too, shamelessly flirting with Lincoln who was much less stoic since the last time Miller saw them. It was nice to see how all of them had changed, honestly. Raven smiled more and Jasper was incredibly goofy. They were all happy to see Miller, and that made Miller happy too.

Wells gave updates on what he spoke about with his father, and Clarke as well with her mother, and they were getting ready to move in on Kane.

“If we can arrange for Kane to come here,” Wells said, “can you get Anya?”

Lincoln let out a long breath but nodded his head. “She won’t be happy,” he said. “But I can imagine she’ll hear him out.”

Clarke grinned. “Excellent.”

As they gathered their things to leave, it was a rather short meeting tonight, Jasper swam over to Miller. “ _Psst_ ,” he hissed. Miller frowned, and Jasper waved again. “Come here, dude.”

Miller walked across the shoreline to Jasper’s side. “What do you want?”

Jasper held out his hand. In it was a shell about half a foot large. “It’s from Monty,” he said. Miller nearly dropped it back in the water. “Open it,” Jasper urged.

Despite the overwhelming urge to just chuck it into the sea, Miller opened it. Words lit up on the inside, a small mechanical sort of letter. Must’ve been one of the many things that Monty was working on, some sort of technical device.

 _Meet me at our spot_ , it read, the letters bright.

Miller closed the shell and handed it back, trying to keep his face blank despite the way that Jasper looked so bright and hopeful. “Miller,” he said carefully. “Monty just--he has something to show you.”

Miller shook his head. “I can’t,” he said. No matter how much he _wanted_ to, Miller knew it was a bad idea. It would lead to more blurriness, as Monty had called it. “I really--I can’t.”

“Miller,” Wells called. “You coming?”

Miller turned, watching Octavia wink at Lincoln as he dove back into the sea, then turned back to Jasper. “I’ve got to go.”

“Miller,” Jasper tried again.

He hurried up the hill without looking back.

* * *

The walk back to the castle was mostly silent. Miller gnawed on his cheek and thought about Monty and tugged on the chain around his neck and tried to stop thinking about Monty and wondered what Monty could possibly want to show him and failed to think about anything other than Monty.

They’d only kissed a few times, that was true, but the moments they’d shared beforehand had been so intimate and hopeful, so full of a promise that there would be more moments like that.

“Hey,” Wells said, shuffling awkwardly. “If you, uh. Want to talk about anything.”

“I’m good,” Miller lied.

The castle was eerily silent when they made it back. It took a few minutes for them to even find a guard, which was terrifying for it’s own reasons. But finally, Bryan rounded the corner.

Clarke strode for him. “Bryan,” she called out. He stood to attention. “Where is everyone?”

“In the presentation room,” he said. There was a smile on his face. “Exciting stuff from Pike. You should hurry along.”

All three of the Golden Children exchanged worried glances before they sprinted. “Might be about Bellamy,” Clarke murmured nervously.

“Something about Azgeda?” Wells offered. “They were here earlier today.”

None of them were prepared for what was on the other side of the door. Miller threw it open and they pushed past the crowd, through the throngs of people who parted for the Golden Children as they walked.

In the center of the room, next to Pike who was standing and presenting Kane on his throne, sat a very large tank. Inside the tank, something was swimming.

“It doesn’t matter how I knew,” Pike said loudly. “I followed my sources, trusted my gut, and discovered this!”

There was an audible murmur in the room when whatever it was-- _whoever_ it was--broke the surface for a brief moment.

Miller gasped, swallowing Monty’s name before it could come to fruition. Clarke and Wells both reached their arms out, blocking Miller from stepping toward the tank that held the boy he cared for so dearly.

Monty was in a tank. Monty was in this tank. Pike had captured Monty and put him _in this tank_.

 _Meet me at our spot_ , Monty’s note read.

Miller was going to be nauseous.

“The treaty has been broken,” Pike carried on, his voice echoing in the presentation room. He slammed his hand against the tank and Monty flinched, swinging his hands up to his ears and looking nauseous as the sound reverberated inside. “One wrong step,” Pike snapped, “and we’re on the edge of another war. This has to be handled immediately.”

Kane tipped his head to the side, narrowing his eyes slightly. “And what you proposing we do, Charles?”

There was no hesitation when Pike said, “Execution.”

* * *

Miller was so distracted that he was thankful Clarke had her shit together. She pulled Bellamy aside, ordered a distraction, and soon the three Golden Children were sneaking into the presentation room after Kane commanded it be cleared and the matter left to be dealt with until the morning.

“You’ve got to focus,” Clarke snapped as they closed the door. “I know you’re distracted, but--”

“Clarke?” Monty’s voice echoed in the now empty room. “Is that you?” Wells struck up the lantern he was carrying in his hand. Monty was up over the edge, looking desperate. Miller found himself rushing forward, forgetting that Wells and Clarke were even with him. “Nate!”

“What the hell did you do?” Miller rasped. The tank was at an awkward angle but they could still reach one another. Their hands reached out, frantically trying to find one another, before they laced their fingers together. “We have to get you out of here.”

Miller ducked down, swallowing his frustration at the fact that the tank didn’t have wheels. Had they just let Monty flop around like a fucking fish in a net before placing him here? Anger burned inside of him.

“Clarke,” Miller called. “We’ve got to find--like, a--another fucking tank or something. Something we can move him in.”

“Nate,” Monty whispered. “Nate, I have the ring.” Miller glanced over his shoulder at Clarke and Wells who were frowning, but Miller’s heart was racing. Monty had the ring.

“Does it work?” Miller asked.

“I’d imagine so,” Monty said. “I haven’t been able to test it, but--”

“What ring?” Wells asked.

There was a beat of hesitation before Monty answered him. “It can give me legs.”

“That’s perfect!” Clarke lit up at this news, rolling with it instead of Wells who looked vastly concerned at the fact that a piece of jewelry could cause someone to sprout legs. “We can get you out of here that way! Why don’t you--why haven’t you used it?”

Monty’s face went a little pale. “I, uh.” He brushed his fingers through his thick hair. “I don’t have any clothes.”

Miller refused to leave Monty’s side so Wells hurried away as fast as he could, but not before offering Monty the pants he was currently wearing. Clarke lingered back, watching the door, leaving Monty and Miller a chance to converse privately.

“That’s how I got caught,” Monty said, his voice rough and panicked. “I was freaking _glowing_ from Becca’s residual magic. And these fisherman--”

“You were in a net?” Miller asked, and Monty nodded, his eyes looking wet. “Hey, hey.” Miller wanted to be closer to him. Fuck this stupid fucking tank. He knew how awful merpeople thought of nets, it was why fishing was so dangerous in territories near their own. It was nearly a death sentence. “You’re okay. We’re going to keep you safe.”  

“Raven was supposed to swim back with me to our sea,” Monty carried on, still sounding frantic. “She must know something’s happened, she must be worried.”

“ _We’re going to keep you safe,_ ” Miller said again.

Wells burst back into the presentation room, panting but waving some pants over his head in one hand, a towel in the other. Miller looked back to Monty, finding his eyes wide and dark.

“I’m afraid,” he rasped.

Miller squeezed his hand. “Will it hurt?”

“I don’t know,” Monty admitted. He opened his hand, revealing the small golden ring, and took a deep breath. “Time to find out, huh?”

Without waiting for any sort of signal, Monty thrust the ring onto his finger. At once, he started to glow. The water illuminated him, full of yellows and oranges, so bright and fantastic that Miller swore he could hear humming. There was a gasp, a splash, and then Monty was heaving himself over the edge of the tank, stretching out for the towel that Wells had.

Monty collapsed on the ground after he covered himself, two legs protruding. He was still breathing deeply. Now, he was lying on his back, stretching his legs out once, twice, three times. “Oh wow,” Monty breathed. “Oh _wow_.”

“Here, get dressed,” Clarke ushered, helping Monty sit up so he could pull on his pants beneath the towel. “They might be a little big.” Monty wiggled his way into the pants and then there he was, Monty the merman, sitting on the castle floor with a set of legs. Miller swallowed. “Can you stand?” Clarke asked.

Monty scoffed. “No way.”

“C’mere. Miller,” she looked over at Miller, who was still staring at Monty _with legs_. “Come help me!”

Miller shook his head to stop himself from hoping and dreaming and _wanting_ and hurried to help Monty stand as well. It was difficult and Monty seemed immensely reluctant, but Wells murmured something about guards and that pushed Monty onto his feet in an instant.

Monty wobbled as he stood and Miller held firm to him. “My shoulders,” Miller murmured. “Grab my shoulders.” Monty’s legs were weak but he held tightly to Miller, using him to stand. Once Monty was firmly on two feet he looked up and Miller leaned in, pressing his forehead to Monty’s. “Hey,” Miller whispered.

Monty swallowed. “Legs are a lot harder to use than I thought,” he whispered back.

Miller tugged Monty toward him and wrapped Monty in his arms tightly, holding him close. “So fucking worried about you,” Miller grumbled, despite the hug, and Monty laughed. Miller wanted to breathe him in. He smelled like the sea, like a future that Miller could _have_ , and Miller found himself with tears in his eyes.

Monty clung to him. “I didn’t mean what I said,” he rasped.

“Not now.”

The room was quiet until Wells cleared his throat. “We should move,” he said. “It might not be safe.”

“Bellamy can only keep Pike distracted for so long,” Clarke agreed.

Getting Monty to stand was difficult enough, no one was prepared for the challenges that came with walking. With Miller at one side and Clarke at the other, everyone managed. But it was a long journey out of the castle gates for the four of them. It didn’t help that Monty paused every now and again just to look around.

“Sorry,” he kept gushing. “Sorry. But if this is the only chance I’ll get to see Arkadia--”

“It won’t be,” Miller ground out. It couldn’t be.

“Guards,” Wells hissed. “Take Monty to your room.”

“We should get him--” Miller started, but with one pointed look Miller and Clarke were moving Monty back the way they came. “We’ll get you out first thing in the morning,” Miller promised him. “Before the sun rises, even.”

“I would just really like to sit down,” Monty admitted.

It took even longer to get Monty up to Miller’s room, but finally after some tedious stairs, Monty was perched on the edge of Miller’s bed looking exhausted. Clarke lingered in the doorway.

“The moment they find that tank empty,” Clarke said, “there’s going to be trouble.”

Miller nodded. “Understood.”

With that, she left them, and the silence in the room became the loudest thing. Monty was looking around, taking in everything he could about Miller’s room. Somewhere in the back of his mind, Miller wished that he had cleaned. He had books scattered and old glasses of tea perched in strange places.

Finally Monty cleared his throat. “When I imagined you locked in your room for a month I didn’t imagine… this.” Miller stayed by the door, feeling uncomfortable in his own room. He wasn’t sure what Monty wanted him to say. “I guess I just sometimes forget you’re a prince,” Monty murmured softly.

Miller was quiet for a moment. “It’s not all it’s cracked up to be,” he told him. Monty’s eyes moved to him and Miller redirected his gaze, focusing on Monty’s legs that were curled under, folded together like how a child would swim when pretending to be a mermaid. Perhaps it was just muscle memory. “You should get some sleep,” Miller said.

“I’m not sure I can,” Monty said. “My body’s… humming.”

“I’m not going to let anyone hurt you,” Miller said firmly.

Monty’s cheeks flushed. “No, I know. I just think the, um. I think the magic is giving me a rush.” Monty held out his hand to look at the ring on his finger, on his wedding finger, Miller realized, before turning to look at his feet tucked beside him. He reached out, brushing his fingers over his ankle, before shuddering. “It’s weird,” he said.

Miller nodded. “I can imagine.”

Monty flexed his calves before turning and stretching them out in front of him. “I never dreamed…” he trailed off, shaking his head at the sight before him. “They’re pretty weak.”

“You only just got them,” Miller said with an unexpected laugh.

“Well I want legs like yours,” Monty said. “Strong and sure.”

“You’ve got to work up to it,” Miller told him, knowing full well that Monty wouldn’t keep his legs long enough for them to be strong and sure. Monty dipped his head with a smile and Miller swallowed tightly. “Pike found you,” Miller murmured, “because of me. Didn’t he?” Monty looked up before looking away quickly. “You were by the dock that we always went to. Weren’t you?”

“It’s my own fault that I was there,” Monty said quickly.

“You were waiting for me,” Miller whispered, hating what that meant. It meant Monty was still wishing Miller would go back to those soft moments they shared by the rocks.

“It’s my own fault,” Monty said again. “I--I knew you wouldn’t be there--that you wouldn’t come. And I really _was_ still glowing after Becca. Residual magic, and all.”

Miller swallowed his sigh and his voice came out sharp. “You made it clear that you didn’t want to see me again,” he said, watching Monty wince at his tone. _Not like that_. Not the way Miller wanted to see him. Not the way Miller wanted to sit there and learn about the intimate parts of Monty's mind while learning the planes of his back, the taste of his lips. “So I didn’t go back. No matter how badly I wanted to.”

Monty was quiet for a moment. “You wanted to go back?” he asked, his question directed to the floor. “Even after I--”

“ _Of course_ ,” Miller ground out. “You hurt me but I still…” he trailed off the moment Monty’s eyes met his. “Of course I wanted to go back,” Miller whispered.

“Nate--”

“You should get some rest,” Miller cut him off, unable to bear the weight of whatever it was Monty wanted to say to him. “I’ll stand guard until sunrise.”

He marched out of his room before Monty could say something to make him stay.

* * *

Despite the magic, it was clear Monty got some rest. He was rubbing his eyes when Clarke and Miller finally went to retrieve him. “Castle’s on high alert,” Wells murmured as he brought more clothes for Monty to change into so they could sneak him out. “We’ve got to be careful.”

It seemed like over the night Monty’s legs became a little more steady. He only needed Clarke to help him walk and they managed to keep a brisk pace. Bellamy had called some sort of council meeting with Kane, asking for Pike to be there as well as the other advisors, so at least it was a slightly clear path.

There were a few hiccups but in the end they made it out on the streets as the sky warmed with a soft blue. Monty just kept looking everywhere. Maybe his legs weren’t strong and sure yet but he walked as though they were, hurrying alongside Miller and Clarke and Wells as they took him to the dock.

“Octavia should be waiting for us,” Clarke said as they approached. “Bellamy reached out to her overnight. If you want us to take you on the boat--”

“I can swim from here,” Monty said. “I just want my tail back.”

Finally they made it to the dock, and just as Bellamy said, Octavia was waiting for them. She had her arms wrapped around herself and strode for Monty when she saw him. “God I’m glad you’re okay,” she murmured, hugging him tightly. “Lincoln’s waiting for you by the reef? He said you’d know what that meant.”

“I do,” Monty confirmed with a nod.

Clarke frowned. “Lincoln again?”

When Octavia flushed, no one mentioned it. The way she gnawed on her bottom lip led Miller to believe he wasn’t the only one stuck in an unfavorable situation of loving a merman.

Waves lapped the dock. “Give us a minute,” Monty said, turning to the other three who were with them before dragging Miller out toward the edge of the dock. Before Miller could protest, Monty was speaking again. “I need you to know,” Monty said, clutching Miller’s jacket as they stood by the water. “Why I said what I said that night.” Miller was surprised at the heat in his chest from the intensity of Monty’s words. “It--Nate,” he sounded so broken. “I didn’t think Becca was real,” Monty whispered. “I didn’t think there’d ever be a chance you and I could be together.”

“Monty--”

“And everyone was warning me against it. Raven, Jasper, even Lincoln.” He tugged Miller closer. “They told me I’d get hurt, and that it was dangerous, and that falling in love with a human was _stupid_ and--” Miller reached up, cupping Monty’s cheek. “I didn’t know how to put it into words,” Monty carried on, leaning into Miller’s touch. “It came out selfish and horrible, and I’m _sorry_.” He covered Miller’s hand with his own. “That month you were on lockdown I just thought of every way things between us could go wrong. And when I first saw you again I forgot every bad thing I’d been thinking, I was just so relieved to _see_ you.”

 _To kiss you_ , Miller thought.

“It’s okay,” he whispered.

Monty shook his head. “Then the fears crept back and it--it just happened so fast,” he rasped.

“It’s _okay_ ,” Miller said again.

Monty’s face contorted with sadness. “Nate, I’ve missed you _so much_ ,” Monty rasped.

Miller couldn’t stop himself from leaning in. Monty melted into the kiss, wrapping his arms around Miller’s middle and keeping him close. The sun was rapidly rising and a group of royals on the shore couldn’t stay hidden forever and Miller knew this moment was fading, yet still he clung to it.

“ _Miller_ ,” Clarke called, forcing Miller and Monty to break apart. “He’s got to go.”

Miller just looked at Monty for a moment. For this moment, he was human. He was human and he was here and Monty was looking back at him with warm and hopeful eyes.

“Just let me…” Miller trailed off and Monty stretched up to kiss him again. While they were the same. While it was possible. Before Monty took off the golden ring and slipped into the depths of the sea. He seemed to understand how Miller felt because Monty kissed with such fervor that Wells cleared his throat awkwardly from where he stood. “I want this,” Miller rasped. His voice was laced with desperation.

“Me too,” Monty whispered. “But I can’t leave my friends, Nate. My _family_.”

“I know.”

“And neither could you,” Monty said. Miller’s eyebrows furrowed but he nodded. It was true. No matter how much he hated his life as a Golden Child, he loved his family and his friends more. “I have to go,” Monty whispered. “They must already know something’s happened.” He looked up toward the sky. “I can feel it in the air.”

“Magic?” Clarke asked from a distance.

“Yeah. Not the good kind, either.” He pulled Miller down again, giving him another kiss. “Take the ring,” he whispered. “Find me.” Monty yanked the ring from his finger and thrust it into Miller’s hand before diving into the sea, a swirl of blue and green light enveloping him as he went. He surfaced a few moments later, splashing his tail once. "See you soon," he called out before diving down again.

"See you soon," Miller murmured to himself.

The sea felt calm and silent. Clarke reached out, resting her hand carefully on Miller’s shoulder. “You and Monty?” she asked, finally asking the question the Golden Children had been dancing around for the past few days.

Miller swallowed, shrugging off her hand. “It can never be,” he murmured. “Let’s get back to the castle before they start looking for us.”

* * *

“You’re a natural,” David said, placing his hand on Miller’s shoulder and squeezing. They were looking through the trade routes again and Miller spent his time finding short-cuts, routes that passed through smaller villages that could help increase revenue elsewhere. “Good work.”

“Thanks, Dad.”

It had been three days since they released Monty back into the ocean and it hadn’t stopped storming. Hail the size of racquetballs fell from the sky. Wind tore shingles from rooftops. Every time the Golden Children were together, they would exchange nervous glances.

“Do you think this was us?” Clarke asked after dinner the other night.

“ _Yes_ ,” Wells stressed. “It definitely, definitely was.”

“I was thinking that tomorrow--” Miller started, back in the layout room with his father, when he stopped. He turned, looking toward the window. “It stopped raining,” he said.

David turned, following his gaze and looking perplexed. “I was sure it was going to storm all day,” he said. “Those clouds were horrendous.” And it wasn’t that it had just stopped raining. It’s that the sky opened up and the sun was out. In an instant. Blue sky was seen and birds were suddenly singing and-- “Nathan?” David called as he turned and sprinted from the room.

It didn’t take long to find Clarke, down in the lab mixing different powders together for medicine. “It stopped raining,” Miller said.

She shoved her beakers aside. “Where’s Wells?”

Again they sprinted until the found their friend. Wells was in his room, napping, because Thelonious had woken him up early for an ambassador meeting. “What’s going on?” he asked, sounding groggy.

“It stopped raining,” Clarke and Miller said together.

He was awake in an instant. “It’s a sign,” he said. “We need to go out tonight.”

“It could be a trap,” Miller warned, but he was on Wells’ side too. They needed to go out tonight. Whatever had happened with Monty had made some merpeople angry. They responded by affecting the weather. It was what they did. But now it was sunny.

 _It was a sign_.

“Do you think we can all get our parents?” Clarke asked. “After what they did to Monty, we have to move quick.”

“My dad’ll come,” Miller said. “He won’t be happy, but he will.”

“Mine too,” Wells said.

“I can probably convince my mom,” Clarke said. “We’ll have Bellamy distract Kane and Pike and tonight we go. We present our offer. Then we bring it back to Kane and--”

“New treaty,” Miller said, feeling breathless.

“New treaty,” Clarke agreed.

* * *

The three Golden Children had gathered their parents in the library. They all seemed annoyed. And suspicious.

“Is this about…?” Thelonious started.

“The merpeople,” Wells said with a nod. “Yes.”

Abby and David exchanged glanced. “You knew?” Abby asked.

“Nathan told me weeks ago,” David said.

“We’ve all…” Thelonious trailed off with a sigh. “You children are trouble,” he said.

“We’re very innovative,” Clarke corrected. “And want to make a difference. Isn’t that what new generations are all about? Making a difference?”

At first, the protest was strong. They received three solid _No_ s. But Nate pulled his father aside and pleaded with him, quietly, about his important this was. Then there were two _No_ s and one Maybe. Wells was next, pulling his father out into the hallway, where they had a very loud argument in which Miller heard things like _future diplomacy_ and _prince_ and _initiative_. Then there was one Yes one Maybe and one No. All Clarke had to do was cross her arms over her chest.

Three _No_ s very easily turned into three _Yes_ answers. Bellamy was tasked with distracting Kane.

Then undercover, hidden in clothes that they took from the laundry room that must’ve belonged to servants, the three Golden Children and their parents snuck out of the castle. Something deep inside of Miller was worried, having all six of them out in the open without a guard, but something bigger was overwhelmed and thrilled and _excited_.

It was happening. They were making a change.

“We’re going to get in heaps of trouble,” David said at one point, looking around with worried eyes.

“Only if we get caught,” Miller told him.

David looked a little stunned. “How long have you been doing this?” he asked. “Sneaking out? Tell me the truth, Nathan.”

Clarke and Abby were leading the group, and Wells and Thelonious were behind them, so Miller and his father ended up in the back. Miller swallowed. It was now. It had to be now.

“Since I was 15,” he said. The shock on David’s face was quickly masked with guilt. “Dad,” Miller said slowly. “You’re the most important person in the world to me. You are. And I--listen, I put up with all of this Golden Child bullshit because I love you and I want to make you happy. But I…” he trailed off with a sigh. “I hate it.”

“Nathan…”

“I never wanted this life,” Miller told him, his eyes somewhere else. “I may be good at it, the fighting and the strategy, but it’s not the life I _want,_ Dad.”

David slowed a bit, letting the four in front of them get farther away. “I never knew,” he responded. “I mean, I knew you were unhappy, but…”

“I like to read,” Miller told him. “The classics,” he added after a beat. “Plays. Mythology. Any sort of literature, I absolutely adore it. And--being outside,” Miller said, gesturing to the wide world around him. “I want to explore,” he told his father. “I want to see the world. Live by the sea.” David nodded solemnly and Miller shoved his hands into his pockets. “I want to make a real difference,” Miller said quietly. “That’s why--I know you’re upset with me, that I’ve been sneaking out. But this opportunity to make a change with the merpeople, I _want_ that. I want to see this through.”

David reached up, resting his hand on his son’s shoulder before squeezing. “I really am proud of you,” he said. Miller waited a moment before allowing himself to smile. “Let’s see what we can do for these merpeople, yeah?”

Finally, Miller grinned. “Yeah.”

* * *

They were there for twenty minutes before anything happened. Thelonious seemed the most frustrated, asking Wells again and again if they were _sure_ that something would happen.

When the water parted and Lincoln finally made himself known, Octavia who had joined them as they passed the docks by her home, sprinted into the water and threw her arms around him. Miller looked somewhere else as they embraced, while most of the adults marveled at the sight of a merman. He whispered something to Octavia before she nodded and stepped out of the water, back with the others.

“Presenting Queen Anya,” Lincoln announced, “Queen of Polis.”

One of the most beautiful women Miller had ever seen emerged next, covered in jewels that glistened in the sunlight. She looked angry. She had every right to look angry.

“Look who decided to show their faces,” Anya said with a sneer.

“The weather’s been a little rotten lately,” Clarke said, stepping up beside Miller. Despite her role of a Golden Child lacking many opportunities for public speaking, she was very apt at it. “So we figured we’d wait it out.”

Despite the sunshine, a bolt of lightning struck nearby, close enough that the thunder rocked them.

“Anya,” Lincoln warned carefully.

“You are savages,” she said, her voice full of venom. “You’ve captured my own people and thrown them in nets, in _tanks_ , like ordinary fish. You speak of peace and yet you attempt to initiate a battle.”

“That’s definitely not what we were doing,” Miller murmured. “Anya. What happened with Monty--”

“Don’t you even speak his name,” she growled.

“Whoa,” Clarke said, lifting her hands and stepping out. “We’re here to make things right. If we could all just calm down--”

“Calm down?” Anya asked, her hands tightening into fists. “Your people started a war that you don’t know how to end,” she snapped.

“Yours broached the treaty,” Clarke argued.

“Thinking they were establishing a peace,” Wells reminded Clarke, eyes darting toward Anya and then back to his friend at his side. “They broke the treaty because of us, Clarke. And you know it.”

Miller bit his tongue, knowing full well that they’d broken the treaty before Monty had been captured. But they needed Anya on their side, needed her to hold back the rain just a little bit longer. So he let this point be argued and clenched his teeth.

“Monty could have died,” Anya growled.

“But he didn’t,” Miller said. “We saved him.”

“Your people--” she started.

“Just because they have legs does not mean they’re our people,” Miller cut her off. He strode forward, past Clarke. “I never would’ve let anything happen to Monty. None of us would. _These_ are my people.” He gestured to Wells, to Clarke, to Octavia, to his father, to Abby, to Thelonious all standing behind him. These were his people. His family. Afraid, unsure, but ready to make a difference for people who had been wronged. “These are some of the most powerful people in Arkadia. And we just want peace. We want to make right the mistakes we’ve made. With Monty. From generations before. Give us this one chance.”

Anya swallowed, snapping something in her native tongue to Lincoln who hesitated before responding to her. There was a short breath.

“This is unprecedented,” Anya said.

“Rewriting a treaty without a war,” Miller agreed. “But Monty said your leaders-- _you_ \--had been reaching out.”

Anya looked annoyed at the sound of Monty’s name in Miller’s mouth. “He speaks the truth.” Her eyes narrowed a bit. “Based on the testimony of Lincoln, my trusted advisor. Of Raven Reyes, one of the best mechanics I have ever come in contact with. Of highly revered citizens who speak well of you…” she trailed off, taking another breath. “I am willing to consider it.” She narrowed her eyes at Miller again. “Monty says you have the ring.”

“What ring?” Octavia asked.

“Becca’s ring,” Anya said. Miller knew now wasn’t the time for dishonesty or hesitation, so he nodded. “Give it to your Kane,” she said. “So he may come to Polis. We discuss the terms in our sea, or not at all.”

Miller clenched the ring in his hand. “I’ll go,” he said.

Anya looked displeased. “You are not king,” she said.

“I’m a prince,” he told her. “My lineage is based in strategy. This entire movement is because of me.” He turned, looking at those behind him. “Two days,” he said. “Then bring Kane out to meet us.”

Wells looked worried. “If he doesn’t agree?”

“ _Make him_ ,” Miller growled.

He thrust the ring onto his finger and strode out into the sea. David looked worried but proud. Clarke’s eyes were wide and mystified as colorful lights enveloped him. Miller thought a moment too late that he’d never asked Monty if the transformation hurt.

Suddenly, there was an innate understanding as to what was happening. He sunk into the ocean and let it consume him, his entire body radiating warmth as he did so. His skin felt different, softer and slicker, and his lungs felt… unnecessary. Something inside of him changed but he wasn’t sure what, he wasn’t sure it could be described.

And then he had a tail. It was elegant, dark purples and grays, and made him feel like he had always belonged in the ocean. Of course he still had on his golden chain, that hadn't changed, but now more than ever it felt like it didn't belong on his neck.

Lincoln dropped his hand onto Miller’s shoulder fondly. “You ready to see Polis?” he asked with a smile.

* * *

Raven and Jasper were waiting by the boundary when they swam up. Miller had never been sure what exactly the boundary was or how difficult it was to get around, but it was clear when they arrived. Something strong was there, some sort of thick magic that made the current dangerous. While Miller himself could swim, he didn’t think he’d be prepared for mer-level of swimming. He thought that the ring has given him some special guidance there, and Anya's guards had enough in them to calm it so they could pass. 

“Yo!” Jasper was grinning and even Raven looked impressed. “Monty said he’d given you the ring! But we all thought you’d pass it on.”

Miller opened his mouth, almost afraid to speak, but any fear that came with being underwater was gone, somehow. “Where’s Monty?”

Small bubbles, his last breaths of human air, escaped him and floated toward the surface. “His parents are insanely worried,” Raven said. “They’re keeping him basically under lock and key.”

Anya was being escorted by guards but Lincoln nodded. “Be quick,” he told them.

Jasper’s grin widened. He and Raven guided Miller through the city, through the crowded streets of what they called the center, and Miller understood Monty’s previous fascination at Arkadia. Many of the buildings here both teetered upwards but many dug down deep into the ground as well. There were merchildren with tails chasing each other round and round the tallest structures, laughing as they went. They passed a merman stroking an octopus fondly. They were ordinary merpeople, like the human people in the market place. They had their own lives and their own thoughts and their own things to do. 

They deserved a chance to grow. 

“Here,” Jasper said. He rapped on a small stone door. “Monty! Visitor!”

There was a fuss inside that Miller couldn’t exactly make out, perhaps Monty's parents, before Monty groaned. “It’s just _Jasper_ ,” he shouted back, throwing open the door and pausing when he spotted Miller. His mouth opened slightly. “Nate,” he whispered.

There were already eyes on him, having swam back with Anya and her guard, merpeople recognizing him as an outsider. But Monty’s eyes on him were all that mattered.

Monty rushed forward and threw himself around Miller with a laugh, twisting so they spun a little. “Hey,” Miller said with a grin.

“You’re--!”

“I’m here,” Miller confirmed with a smile of his own.

Before Miller could say anything else, ask him how he’d been since he got his tail back, Monty was kissing him. Something in Miller’s mind warned him against kissing Monty, because kissing Monty meant never wanting to stop, meant a future he couldn’t have, meant maybe risking this entire treaty thing. But kissing Monty like this, the two of them equals in all ways, both with tails, both merpeople in this moment, was overwhelming.

For a moment, Miller didn’t care that anyone was watching. None of that mattered. Just this new, unfamiliar feeling in Miller’s chest, right by his collarbones. Something likened to want. It felt desperate, like it was trying to climb out of him, and Miller briefly wondered if mer-emotions were slightly different than human ones. But then Miller remembered why he was here and what his job was.

“I’m,” Miller pulled away, trying to collect himself, to stop himself from grinning in overwhelming happiness. “I’m being a diplomat,” he said softly.

Monty kissed him again. “Fancy.”

“ _Monty_ ,” Miller exhaled, but there were no bubbles to float to the surface, not anymore. Mer-life was fascinating. “I have to be diplomatic.”

Monty turned, finding other merpeople watching them with dopey smiles. “Oh. I get it. No making out in public.” He leaned in by Miller’s ear. “More kissing later,” he murmured.

Fuck it. Miller grinned anyway. “I don’t know if there’ll be time,” Miller said. “I’ll be working.”

“We’ll make time,” Monty promised.

* * *

The tower at Polis was just as grand, if not grander, than the one at Arkadia. Despite the risks, Miller thought that Kane would actually enjoy a trip to Polis very much. The ground was lined with sparkling shells, the rooms illuminate with fire that could burn in water. It was beautiful. It was so beautiful that there weren’t nearly enough words to use to explain it.

Miller thought back to a conversation with Monty where he spoke about Polis being more advanced than Arkadia, and while Miller thought they were pretty similar, he couldn’t deny that Polis was beautiful and fascinating all at once. Tech lined the walls and magic was performed inches from him again and again and merpeople fashioned gems and crystals from their hands. There was always something to look at. Another beautiful merperson, their skin lined with scales. A painting hanging on the wall with Latin inscriptions underneath. A trick performed by a jester that made Miller's head spin.

As predicted, Miller spent a lot of his time in and out of different rooms to discuss the treaty that they made. The merpeople were serious about this, and Miller had enough training to know how to say and what to say it. While Miller wasn’t sure what Kane would be willing to bend for he used his best judgement to make it equal on both sides. Lincoln was by his side most of the time, and when Lincoln was busy then Raven’s friend, Sinclair, was there.

Miller didn’t actually get to see Monty until the end of the second day when they were preparing to head back to _Stillatur Nave._

“You’re coming?” Miller asked.

“I wanted to see you,” Monty said, holding firm to Miller’s hand. That feeling returned, the one by his collarbones, that made Miller crave a kiss more than anything. “I wanted to talk to you.” As they swam, Miller and Monty let the royal entourage swim ahead of them. It wasn’t much privacy but it was enough. “Did you like Polis?”

“It was beautiful,” Miller told him, again lacking the words to properly explain it. It felt magical. Again, it might’ve been the magic. “I wish I saw more of you.”

“Yeah.” Monty squeezes his hand. “Um. Would you like to?”

Miller frowned. “What do you mean?”

“See more of me,” Monty elaborated. “Because, um. You can keep the ring. And stay. You know. With me.” Mille swam to a stop, pulling Monty to one as well. “I want you to stay,” Monty told him. “Nate you can--you can stay here with me, if you want.”

Miller swallowed. “No I can’t, Monty. You know that I can't.”

“Do you _want_ to?” he asked. “You always--you say that you don’t like your life, and if you stayed maybe it could be better, maybe you could learn to--”

“I can’t,” he said again. “Not if this treaty works out. Because it…” he took a deep breath, or whatever the equivalent of a deep breath for a merperson is. “It’s complicated,” he said. “And might not be approved by Kane, by my father…” Miller pulled him close. “But if it is, then it’s okay,” he said.

“You’d be okay with it?” Monty asked.

“Yeah,” Miller said. “I would. I think... I think you would be too."

Monty blinked. "Me?"

"You’ll see.”

* * *

Kane did _not_ look happy to be at the _Stillatur Nave,_ but Bellamy by his side looked hopeful and Miller’s father wore a smile more sincere than anything Miller had seen recently. (Miller wouldn't find out later that a lot had happened in two days - that Bellamy had officially been declared Kane's heir, that Charles Pike had been removed from his position, that Kane had known for months that the Golden Children were sneaking out and didn't mind as long as they were safe.) Monty held out his hand for the ring and, despite his reluctance, Miller slipped it from his finger. Wells rushed forward with clothes and Monty pulled the water from Miller’s body and soon Miller was standing, dry, with the other humans. He didn't feel, at once, that he belonged with them.

He listened as Kane and Anya spoke, refusing to let the small bubble of hope in his stomach to expand as they came closer and closer to one of the more recent additions on Anya’s side of the treaty.

“You want Arkadia’s castle to expand to the shore,” Kane read, his eyes narrowing. “To give an easier access point for officials from both to meet?”

“Yes,” Anya said simply. “We’ll construct on our side, you’ll construct on your side. It will make future conversations easier.” Kane tipped his head to the side. "I want to be clear here, Marcus, that this is not just a treaty to expand on the sea. This is a treaty to form an alliance. A treaty of friendship." 

"A mutually beneficial arrangement that will better both of our nations," Kane agreed. "I'm aware. This is what I want too." He looked back to the paper. “And you want Nathan…” he trailed off, “to be the--what, the leader of this new seaside area?”

To Miller, it was simple. Arkadia would have a branch by the sea, Polis would have a branch near the land. Miller would be an in-betweener. So would--

“Monty, as well,” Anya said. Monty’s eyes widened.

“Uh, what?” he asked from the water. He hadn't really been sanctioned to go on the trip, just having swam along by Miller's side. So to hear his name in conversation, in the  _treaty_ , it must've been surprising. Miller figured if Monty hadn't come then Anya or Lincoln would inform him later on if the treaty was signed.

“The bond the two have,” Anya carried on, “will make sure that both of us are getting what we need.” Kane’s eyes were still narrowed and Miller still fought against the bubble of hope. “Nathan will be in charge of coordinating fishing zones so your people are still given the opportunity to use the sea, but this allows us to expand.”

“I’ve trained for this,” Miller reminds Kane quietly. “My whole life. I can do this.”

“Monty will help with tech development,” Anya continued, “so we can give your fisherman ways to avoid areas where we will be building and growing. He may not have royal blood but he is royal in action.”

Apparently for merpeople, that was enough.

There was a pause. “And they have the ring,” Lincoln said.

“Yes,” Kane said. “The ring. Bellamy’s mentioned the ring to me.”

“It was created by Becca. The sea witch,” Lincoln says. “Who began as a human but made the switch to be a mermaid. Because the human world was cruel. She understands, however, the importance of wanting to return home.” Lincoln gestured to Monty who was now holding the ring. “I’m unsure if Monty knows the rules of a ring from Becca.”

“Wait--” Monty burst again. “I’m sorry--you want me to work with Nate? And Arkadia?”

“With Raven and Jasper,” Anya said with a nod. “You three are the ones who sparked this movement, you should be given the honor to see it through.”

Monty’s mouth was opened slightly and he was nodding. “Yeah. Yes. Oh my _God_ , Anya that would be incredible! Anything!”

“Quiet,” she murmured. She looked fond, though. Who wouldn’t be fond of Monty? “Lincoln, you were saying?”

“The ring only grants power when it’s willingly traded,” Lincoln said. “If it’s snatched, taken unwillingly, even _given away_ unwillingly, it will not work. Thus, it is always safe with them.”

“This will allow Monty to become human and make sure things are working properly,” Anya said. “And vice versa with Nathan.”

Miller clenched his teeth to fight his smile. Monty was gaping at him. “Nate,” he called out, sounding wrecked. Miller widened his eyes slightly to warn him to wait.

 _They could have it all_.

They just needed Kane to agree and the world was there. Miller and Monty could be together. As humans, as mermen, as one or the other. It didn’t matter. Miller would be allowed to hang up his sword and enforce safety and security in a new and different way. Monty would be allowed to tinker with his technology instead of work as a farmer. _They could be together._

Kane looked to David, then to Nathan. “You helped make this treaty,” Kane said slowly, “so I assume that you would be okay with this?”

Miller nodded. “I would.”

Kane browsed the rest of the document, nodding slowly. “Then it will be so,” he said.

* * *

Anya and Kane were given temporary control of the golden ring so they could see one another’s land, but with the treaty signed and the next steps on their way, that was alright.

Rainbows filled the clear skies, a sign of trust and peace from the merpeople to the land walkers. There were more official works to it involving Bellamy, involving the advisors but soon the area was clear. It was just Miller, his feet dangling into the water, and Monty in the water by him.

“I didn’t think I’d ever get this,” Miller whispered.

Monty pushed the water up so he could sit up on the rock with Miller. “Fits into your Golden Child role,” Monty said, teasing in his voice, “and you get to live by the sea.”

“I get to put down my sword,” Miller murmured. He looked to Monty, finding the merboy smiling. “And if you want…” he trailed off.

“Say it,” Monty pressed, beaming now. 

Miller hadn't made it up, the things between them. He could see it now, clear as day, written on Monty's face. Monty cared for him just as much as he cared for Monty. It was greater than the depths of any ocean, any sea.

He could finally say it. “I get to be with you.”

Monty reached up, his hands cupping Miller’s cheeks. “I want that,” Monty told him, just to make sure that he knew. He leaned in, kissing Miller firmly. For the first time since Miller met Monty, for the first time since Miller realized he wanted something he couldn’t have, he felt free.

* * *

David inspected the cottage one final time before walking out with a sigh, something like concern on his face. “It’s not… elaborate,” he said.

Miller’s cottage by the shore was finally complete. It wasn’t any bigger than it had to be and the walls were stocked with books. It was absolutely everything that Miller could’ve wanted. Octavia lived just a bit aways, not technically in the castle but still by the sea like she wished to stay, and though Bellamy would be a hike away in the castle Miller knew he’d still get to see his friend often.

“It’s perfect Dad,” Miller said. “Honest.”

“Plenty of room,” Monty said from beside him. He had his legs today (and it was strange to think of the two of them having a legs/tail rotation, but they did) and could always be found at Miller’s side. “And trust me, David. I know a lot about needing space.”

David smiled. He liked Monty. Which was great. Miller was worried the sometimes-tail and minimal-magic would turn him away.

“Besides,” Miller reminded him. “It’s only for every other week.”

“Will I ever get used to you with a tail?” David asked, mostly to himself, before answering, “No. I don’t think so. But.” He reached out, resting his hand on Miller’s shoulder before squeezing. “Your happiness makes me happy, Nathan. No matter where you’ve found it.” Monty smiles at that, sliding his arm around Miller’s waist to stand close. “I think perhaps another conversation for another day is that of heirs, but…”

“Alright, Dad,” Miller murmured, leaning into Monty and rolling his eyes at his father while Monty laughed into his hand. “Go away.”

David laughed brightly before saying his goodbyes and leaving the two of them to their cottage. The moment they were alone Monty was already dragging Miller back inside, a needy look in his eyes.

“Wait,” Miller nearly groaned as Monty deftly unbuttoned Miller’s shirt, pinning him back against their brand new door. Monty hadn't wasted any time in learning the ins and outs of human anatomy. He took to it like a fish took to water. “Wait. Did we--we put up the new signs?”

“Like, yesterday,” Monty murmured between kissing down Miller’s chest.

“And the boats have the--”

“The new radar,” Monty confirmed with a whine. “ _Yes_ , Nate.”

Miller actually groaned this time, reaching down and tugging up Monty for a kiss. Despite Monty’s frantic hands they weren’t actually in any rush. They had all the time in the world. They had the rest of their _lives_. They had-- “We don’t have long,” Miller murmured. “Because we have to get to--”

“Bellamy and Clarke’s wedding,” Monty whispered against Miller’s lips. “I know. I know. But _Nate_. We have our own _cottage_!”

Miller grinned. Nothing felt impossible. “We do.”

* * *

For a Golden Child to marry a man without a title--that would be absurd. But Bellamy Blake was no longer a man without a title, not anymore, not since his official induction a few weeks ago. No matter how many dukes and nobles out there were upset about it, Bellamy was a prince now, a soon-to-be King. If Clarke didn’t mind where Bellamy was from, seeing as she stood at the altar with him as they exchanged vows and rings and kisses, no one else should’ve cared either.

The reception was beautiful.

Monty would say again and again that he wasn’t a fan of legs, but he took to dancing like a natural. “It’s like swimming,” he told Miller as they swayed together, arms wrapped around one another like something precious.

Miller held him close and nuzzled into Monty’s neck. While it was true that he’d never seen Bellamy and Clarke so happy before, with new golden rings on their fingers and something bright and magical in their eyes, Miller had _also_ never been this happy before.

And knowing Monty was happiest in the water he asked, “Tails tonight?”

“It’s a few days early,” Monty answered, his breath warm against Miller’s ear.

“I know.”

"And we just got our cottage," Monty reminded him. 

"I know. But you like tails." 

He felt, rather than saw, Monty smile into his neck. “Hey,” Monty whispered. “I love you.” Miller held him closer. “I ever tell you that before?”

“A few times,” Miller murmured back.

“Well…?” Monty hummed.

Miller turned until his lips brushed the shell of Monty’s ear. “I love you,” Miller told him back. Monty sighed, melting into him.

Was it cliche to think that the world was their oyster?

* * *

They snuck out of Clarke and Bellamy’s wedding early, but as the two danced in the sunset twined in one another arms only looking at each other, Miller didn’t really think they’d notice.

When they got back home (their home, _their home_ ) they made arrangements before trading the ring. Monty dove into the sea, light swathing him, as he waited for Miller to transform too.

Miller still wasn’t used to having a tail, but he was sure in time he would be. Maybe one day, if that was what Monty wanted, he’d make the switch permanently. Miller figured they’d always be switching back and forth though, and that was okay.

Monty surfaced and cupped his hands around his mouth. “Hurry up, slowpoke!” he shouted with a grin.

Miller slid the ring onto his finger and dove into the water too, his tail forming just as it always had, like he was swathed in heat and magic. Soon he surfaced too, and the two of them swam to the rocks outside their cottage. Below, in the water, sat their other home which had been finished weeks ago, a bed made of the softest seaweed and the walls decorated in some of Jasper’s favorite shells. But for now they sat on the rocks, watching the stars.

“Come here,” Monty beckoned, gesturing for Miller to move closer.

“Okay, okay.”

Monty’s hand curved around Miller’s cheek, tugging him closer for a kiss. “This life is what you wanted,” Monty whispered against Miller’s lips. “Right?” Their tails were curled beneath the water. Miller answered him with a nod and Monty responded with a smile. It was a tender moment on the edge of the sea. “Nate,” Monty murmured.

“Hm?”

“If we get married,” he said, “we have to have two weddings.”

“Oh do we?” Miller asked.

“One on land,” Monty carried on, “and one in the sea.”

“What about,” Miller whispered against Monty’s lips, “just one. On the shore. So everyone can be there.”

“We’ll only need one ring,” Monty added as Miller pulled away, kissing down Monty’s jaw. “Nate,” Monty gasped, stretching his neck and giving Miller room to nibble. “Is that--” Monty carried on breathless. “Would you…?”

“Hm?” Miller hummed into Monty’s neck.

“Want to get married?” Monty filled in, still breathless. “Would you want to get married?”

Miller pulled back. “Like right now?” Miller asked.

Monty licked his lips. “Not _right_ now,” Monty said with a smile. “But--soon?”

Miller never imagined that life could be like this. He never imagined that he could live by the sea with the man that he loved. He never imagined that being a Golden Child wouldn't make him miserable, that he wouldn't have to be stuck in the castle. He never thought he'd get to lay out with Monty by his side, the air warm and the sky clear, as the stars twinkled above them. But he could.

“Soon,” he answered.


End file.
